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Stargirl (2020)

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 19:45:18 +0000

Disney's Stargirl (2020) was a pretty good movie - with a possibly amazing story hidden away. If only it had dared to tell its story - fully - and from an inside view, instead of the outside view we got.
The pain was there; they just didn't dare to show it.

I know many will say this was a film with a manic pixie dream girl, from the perspective of a dude, with the emotional depth of a frying pan.

However, I do feel like the movie had a lot of truth to it - just (unfortunately) hidden away.

This is a movie about an overly emphatic - perhaps to the unhealthy extreme - girl, who follows her feelings instead of doing what logic dictates is the best thing for her, herself, to do.

And here's a kicker - she doesn't look back on what she did as irrational or too emotional. Her mind is locked on doing the emphatic thing being the right thing - and she doesn't waiver - ever.

Though is it - always?
This is the question the movie, almost, dares to ask. #Fumble

When not thinking, but only following one's feelings, no matter how utterly and completely selfless, there's a chance there's a side of the situation you're not seeing. And by not seeing it, you're doing more harm than good.
(The bike.)

This is exactly what should have been the heart of the film.

Mindless kindness is definitely a good thing - but how do you handle it when it goes wrong? How does one, with the purest of intentions, handle realizing they did harm?

Stargirl went through something that was, to her, traumatic. She was shaken to her core. She changed her very perception of herself because of this one good deed she did, where she didn't had all the info, and someone got hurt.
Pure intentions; unfortunate impact.

How care anyone carry this?
Well - this movie didn't even cry to explore this feeling.

This could've been a profound movie, exploring the concept of what sincere empathy having unfortunate consequences might mean for a person and their perception of self.

The right ingredients were there. They just didn't dare to bake the perfect cake, that would make grown men cry. Or something along those lines.

I liked (loved?) the movie - but probably more due to the unseen parts than what the movie actually showed.
Definitely wasted potential.

P.S. The post-credit scene is one of the most adorable things ever.

...Series reviewed in one word

Sat, 02 Feb 2019 19:41:23 +0000

I try my best to give almost all new "TV" series a shot. I don't have the time to actually truly give the series a fair shot, so I simply stick with watching the first episode and judging the series the best I can from that episode. Some of the series I continue watching - but far most I don't.

After each first episode, I write down a single word to express my feelings about the series, judging from that one episode. I think this is the very least I can do (well, other than nothing). Here are my one word reviews.

A Gifted Man - Ridiculous
Pan Am - Unpolished
The Playboy Club - Intriguing
Hart of Dixie - Sweet
Free Agents - Indifferent
Revenge - Satisfying
New Girl - Quirky
Terra Nova - Disappointing
Charlie's Angels - Pointless
2 Broke Girls - Silly
The Secret Circle - Doubtful
Suburgatory - Energetic
Prime Suspect - Familiar
Boss - Serious
Homeland - Gripping
Enlightened - Pretentious
Grimm - Ambitious
Person of Interest - Interesting
The Lying Game - Undemanding
Once Upon a Time - Charming
How to Be a Gentleman - Awful
American Horror Story - Bizarre
Ringer - Dull
Hell on Wheels - Unfulfilling
Up All Night - Forgettable
Unforgettable - Tolerable
Man Up - Usual
Fresh Meat - Enjoyable
The River - Inadequate
Luck - Mediocre
Alcatraz - Compelling
Bent - Tolerable
Smash - Sweet
Veep - Irritating
Are You There, Chelsea? - Stupid
House of Lies - Snappy
Work It - Idiotic
The Firm - Intriguing
Awake - Alluring
Scandal - Impressive
Life's Too Short - Odd
The Finder - Unnecessary
Best Friends Forever - Annoying
GCB - Plain
Don't Trust the Bitch In Apartment 23 - Frivolous
Touch - Fascinating
Missing - Skippable
Napoleon Dynamite - Ridiculous
NYC 22 - Acceptable True Love - Bleak
Golden - Irritating
Bunheads - Semi-annoying
Continuum - Interesting
Dallas - Clichéd
The Annoying Orange - Terrible
Saving Hope - Mediocre
Dead Boss - Annoying
Baby Daddy - Unnecessary
The Soul Man - Stupid
Girls - Curious
The Newsroom - Amazing
Anger Management - Idiotic
Line of Duty - Skippable
Good God - Tiresome
Perception - Average
Blackout - Acceptable
Sullivan and Son - Irritating
Political Animals - Passable
Go On - Amusing
Hit & Miss - Different
Animal Practice - Silly
Bad Education - Entertaining
Revolution - Underwhelming
The New Normal - Average
Puberty Blues - Dissimilar
Last Resort - Thrilling
The Mindy Project - Irritating
The Mob Doctor - Thrilling
666 Park Avenue - Expected
Arrow - Tolerable
Elementary - Passable
Nashville - Insignificant
Beauty And The Beast - Insignificant
Underemployed - Inferior
Chicago Fire - Unremarkable
Deception - Unsurprising
1600 Penn - Entertaining
The Carrie Diaries - Likable
Newsreaders - Stupid
The Following - Thrilling
Hunted - Curious
House of Cards - Captivating
Motive - Mediocre
Cult - Unworthy
Seed - Amusing
Vikings - Possible
The Americans - Expected
Red Widow - Unimpressive
How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life - Unnecessary
Hannibal - Exciting
Da Vinci's Demons - Foolish
Orphan Black - Curious
Defiance - Acceptable
Hemlock Grove - Crap
Switch - Unnecessary
Zero Hour - Overreaching
Golden Boy - Cocky
Bates Motel - Intriguing
Save Me - Foolish
Mistresses - Common
Under the Dome - Intriguing
Orange is the New Black - Curious
The Bridge - Interesting
Camp - Acceptable
The Fosters - Captivating
Ray Donovan - Passable
Low Winter Sun - Insignificant
Cracked - Familiar
What Remains - Quiet
High School USA - Stupid
Sleepy Hollow - Unimpressive
The Blacklist - Intriguing
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Satisfying
The Originals - Tedious
Witches of East End - Bearable
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland - Familiar
The Tomorrow People - Clichéd
Reign - Tolerable
Longmire - Typical
Dracula - Unimpressive
Almost Human - Inconsequential
Killer Women - Ordinary
Intelligence - Entertaining
Bitten - Passable
Black Sails - Interesting
The White Queen - Underwhelming
Axe Cop - Silly
From Dusk Till Dawn - Intriguing
True Detective - Abnormal
The Spoils Of Babylon - Laughable
Babylon - Uninspiring
Believe - Moving
Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Comical
Mixology - Fresh
Working the Engels - Wacky
The 100 - Typical
Mind Games - Unsurprising
Those Who Kill - Unconvincing
Crisis - Interesting
Star-Crossed - Forgettable
Welcome to the Family - Unimpressive
Surviving Jack - Decent
Silicon Valley - Semi-annoying
Sirens - Familiar
Fargo - Eventful
Resurrection - Bland
Faking It - Predictable
Bad Teacher - Terrible
Black Box - Interesting
Penny Dreadful - Uninspiring
Halt And Catch Fire - Intriguing
The Night Shift - Unextraordinary
Chasing Life - Human
Murder In The First - Plain
The Leftovers - Curious
Satisfaction - Decent
The Strain - Compelling
Reckless - Unimpressive
Girl Meets World - Obnoxious
Legends - Typical
Garfunkel and Oates - Acceptable
Selfie - Amusing
Forever - Pleasant
Red Band Society - Emotional
Taxi Brooklyn - Decent
Rush - Presumptuous
Amber - Boring
Black Jesus - Unusual
Partners (2012) - Irritating
Partners (2014) - Boring
Wolfblood - Unexpected
Outlander - Interesting
Gotham - Promising
How To Get Away With Murder - Curious
Happyland - Predictable
Gracepoint - Sad
Manhatten Love Story - Cliché
Stalker - Acceptable
Hostages - Interesting
The Flash - Enjoyable
Mulaney - Annoying
Constantine - Okay
State of Affairs - Unsatisfactory
Benched - Stupid
Jane the Virgin - Soapy
The Librarians - Silly
Agent Carter - Intriguing
Eye Candy - Acceptable
Scorpion - Moving
Z Nation - Unoriginal
Better Call Saul - Mediocre
Backstrom - Decent
The Good Witch - Terrible
Battle Creek - Indifferent
CSI: Cyber - Awful
Critical - Graphic
The Returned - Intriguing
Finding Carter - Fair
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - Annoying
iZombie - Fresh
Bloodline - Boring
One Big Happy - Stupid
The Royals - Surprising
Secrets and Lies (US) - Unimpressive
Steven Universe - Amusing
Daredevil - Gritty
Fresh Off the Boat - Decent
Broad City - WTF
Weird Loners - Okay
Younger - Passable
The Messengers - Promising
Wayward Pines - Uninteresting
Big Time in Hollywood, FL - Stupid
Tatau - Mysterious
Safe House - Slow
Powers - Modern
Residue - Slow
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries - Decent
Bomb Girls - Intriguing
Supergirl - Good
Between - Unimpressive
Saving Grace - Unappealing
Granite Flats - Unimpressive
Mr. Robot - Intriguing
Aquarius - Okay
Stitchers - Unexpected
UnREAL - Impressive
The Whispers - Interesting
Sense8 - Breathtaking
Killjoys - Interesting
Dead Like Me - Original
Dark Matter - Fascinating
Ascension - Curious
The Fall - Slow
Scream - Expected
Sword Art Online - Interesting
Proof - Clever
Zoo - Different
Another Period - Stupid
Humans - Important
The Astronaut Wives Club - Uneventful
The Code - Unimpressive
Dig - Peculiar
American Odyssey - Exciting
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp - What
Heroes Reborn: Dark Matters - Promising
Dominion - Unconvincing
Fear the Walking Dead - Improved
Strange Empire - Okay
Madam Secretary - Admirable
Blindspot - Convincing
Minority Report - Underwhelming
Scream Queens - Excessive
Spooksville - Meh
Limitless - Better
Heroes Reborn - Acceptable
Quantico - Striking
Blood & Oil - Typical
Extant - Spectacular
Misfits - Entertaining
Ash vs Evil Dead - Unimpressive
Funny Girls - Comical
Agent X - Tolerable
Jessica Jones - Gritty
Master of None - Amateurish
Into the Badlands - Promising
Liv and Maddie - Artificial
River - Sad
South of Hell - Scrawl
The Expanse - Unconvincing
Flesh and Bone - Raw
Donny - Cheap
This Life - Decent
Intruders - Uncompelling
The Shannara Chronicles - Adequate
Shadowhunters - Reaching
Recovery Road - Reasonable
Colony - Unconvincing
Degrassi: Next Class - Terrible
Legends Of Tomorrow - Groovy
The Magicians - Ineffective
Lucifer - Entertaining
The Lizzie Borden Chronicles - Meh
Love - Refreshing
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir - Tolerable
Wynonna Earp - Unremarkable
The Catch - Okay
The Path - Unexciting
One Child - Emotional
Heartbeat - Effective
The Girlfriend Experience - Underwhelming
Containment - Semi-decent
The Detour - Stupid
Heartless - Unconvincing
Leverage - Entertaining
Witless - Idiotic
Submission - Smut
Marcella - Ineffectual
Outcast - Possible
Masters of Sex - Genuine
Preacher - Fascinating
Braindead - Peculiar
Tomorrow When the War Began - Rehash
The Last Tycoon - Calm
American Gothic - Okay
Escape the Night - Stupid
Queen of the South - Impressive
Bizaardvark - Exaggerated
The Night Of - Gripping
Guilt - Unlikely
Dead of Summer - Eventful
Day 5 - Amateurish
Roadies - Okay
American Crime Story - Intense
The Good Place - Cute
Lethal Weapon - Real
Designated Survivor - Typical
Fleabag - Sad
Son of Zorn - Absurd
Luke Cage - Unconvincing
Westworld - Captivating
Conviction - Typical
No Tomorrow - Unnecessary
Frequency - Fresh
Hooten and the Lady - Silly
Timeless - Doubtful
Falling Water - Reaching
Pitch - Refreshing
Notorious - Fierce
Glitch - Uncompelling
Rebellion - Dry
Narcos - Impressive
Class - Meh
The Crown - Potential
Casual - Fresh
Crazyhead - Peculiar
Wolf Creek - Interesting
Incorporated - Bleak
Good Behavior - Unappealing
Shooter - Unnecessary
The OA - Intriguing
Van Helsing - Typical
Paranoid - Curious
Doctor Foster - OK
Travelers - Curious
Sweet/Vicious - Surprising
Stan Against Evil - Bad
Pure Genius - Unconvincing
The Great Indoors - Bearable
Salem - Disappointing
Banshee - Uninspiring
The Man in the High Castle - Slow
11.22.63 - Maybe
Blue Eyes (Blå ögon) - Appealing
Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter - Decent
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Bizarre
Ransom - Ordinary
Beyond - Reaching
Emerald City - Underwhelming
Star - Solid
A Series of Unfortunate Events - Different
Riverdale - Intriguing
The Mick - Silly
Santa Clarita Diet - Stupid
You Me Her - Funny
Imposters - Unfulfilling
Mary Kills People - Mediocre
Legion - Bonkers
Big Little Lies - Unconvincing
Powerless - Bearable
Taken - Typical
Doubt - Average
Patriot - Strange
APB - Typical
Easy - Meh
Clique - Promising
Please Like Me - Awkward
24: Legacy - Expected
Making History - Ridiculous
Time After Time - Decent
The Good Fight - Powerful
Aftermath - Stretching
Iron Fist - Okay
13 Reasons Why - Curious
Oasis - Unsatisfying
Bellevue - Meh
Skam - Casual
Famous in Love - Artificial
Girlboss - Delightful
Harlots - Underwhelming
Dear White People - Fun
The Handmaid's Tale - Terrifying
Dimension 404 - Different
American Gods - Brutal
Anne with an E - Endearing
Crashing - Lame
GLOW - Retro
The Mist - Passable
Gypsy - Promising
Free Rein - Refreshing
Some Assembly Required - Idiotic
Castlevania - Brutal
Salvation - Cocky
Friends from College - Strained
The Bold Type - Bold
The Sinner - Unconvincing
Room 104 - Mediocre
Somewhere Between - Amateurish
I'm Sorry - Childish
The Guest Book - Pointless
The Good Wife - Impressive
Ozark - Curious
The Tick - Unexpected
Atypical - Mediocre
The Orville - Enjoyable
Project Mc2 - Cute
Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams - Impressive
Strike - Meh
Star Trek: Discovery - Typical
The Good Doctor - Potential
Me, Myself & I - Tiresome
Channel Zero - Unconvincing
Inhumans - Grasping
The Gifted - Potential
Wisdom of the Crowd - Inadequate
Liar - Chilling
Absentia - Gloomy
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World - Spotty
Mindhunter - Artificial
Dynasty - Passable
Slasher - Average
Good Girls Revolt - Promising
Valor - Meh
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - Brilliant
Freakish - Unsatisfying
The Worst Witch - Weak
The Exorcist - Doubtful
Alias Grace - Purposeful
The Punisher - Expected
Smilf - Blunt
Future Man - Overkill
Godless - Underwhelming
Runaways - Undeveloped
Dark - Dark
Land Girls - Typical
Happy! - Comical
Manhunt: Unabomber - Acceptable
Counterpart - Meticulous
La Casa de Papel - Potential
The End of the F***ing World - Special
Grown-ish - Forced
Black Lightning - Violent
The Chi - Unconvincing
9-1-1 - Formulaic
LA to Vegas - Unnecessary
One Day at a Time - Intolerable
The Alienist - Detailed
Hard Sun - Reaching
Britannia - Mediocre
The Resident - Terrible
Altered Carbon - Cocky
Waco - Building
Everything Sucks - Potential
I Am Frankie - Tolerable
A.P. Bio - Ridiculous
Stargate Origins - Artificial
Mosaic - Slow
Alone Together - Hopeless
Re:Mind - Screaming
Seven Seconds - Gritty
Wanted - Meh
There's... Johnny! - Fair
Nymphs - Intriguing
Transparent - Honest
Burden of Truth - Interesting
Youth & Consequences - Sly
Rise - Genuine
On My Block - Passable
Good Girls - Silly
Deception - Cocky
Collateral - Serious
Requiem - Ominous
Instinct - Usual
For the People - Spunky
Krypton - Meh
Life Sentence - Average
Alex, Inc. - Typical
Siren - Passable
Reboot: The Guardian Code - Overdone
Killing Eve - Elegant
Alexa & Katie - Touching
Fallet - Silly
Lost in Space - Exceptional
The New Legends of Monkey - Frivolous
The Rain - Artificial
Harrow - Meh
Cobra Kai - Unnecessary
The Crossing - Intriguing
Safe - Unconvincing
Cloak & Dagger - Impressive
Sweetbitter - Curious
Impulse - Interesting
Thirteen - Stirring
Kiss Me First - Different
Secret City - OK
Take Two - Formulaic
T@gged - Stale
The Outpost - Amateurish
Insatiable - Awful
Marvel Rising: Initiation - Cute
American Woman - Meh
Sharp Objects - Jarring
The Innocents - Huh
Disenchantment - Expected
Ghoul - Interesting
Sisters - Peculiar
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - American
The Purge - Unconvincing
Will - Chaotic
Mayans M.C. - Doubtful
You - Creep
Maniac - Strange
A Discovery of Witches - Promising
Bodyguard - Flat
The Good Cop - Passable
Manifest - Potential
God Friended Me - Novel
FBI - Typical
Creeped Out - Awful
Elite - Appealing
Light as a Feather - Chilling
The First - Serious
Butterfly - Honest
Titans - Uncertain
Charmed (2018) - Underwhelming
The Haunting of Hill House - Building
Big Mouth - Overreaching
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Impressive
Legacies - Mediocre
The Little Drummer Girl - Distinct
Tell Me a Story - Assertive
Transfers - Unconvincing
Dirty John - Unnerving
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power - Energetic
Baby - Weak
StartUp - Potential
Nightflyers - Questionable
Tidelands - Meh
Derry Girls - Coarse
Parfum (Perfume) - Ominous
Diablero - Unimpressive
Deadly Class - Okay
Sex Education - Average
Deadwind - Tolerable
Roswell, New Mexico - Forced
The Passage - Promising
Russian Doll - Tolerable
Always a Witch - Underwhelming
Carmen Sandiego - Delightful
The Umbrella Academy - Captivating
Good Trouble - Pleasant
Hanna - Reprise
I Am the Night - Building
Doom Patrol - Surprising
Miracle Workers - Bonkers
The Other Two - Passable
Flack - Blunt
Proven Innocent - Average
The Enemy Within - Mediocre
The Order - Meh
Weird City - Unexpected
Sideswiped - Nah
Project Blue Book - Uneven
Turn Up Charlie - Moderate
Whiskey Cavalier - Typical
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists - Same
Osmosis - Potential
Quicksand - Intense
The Act - Suspicious
Now Apocalypse - Erratic
What We Do in the Shadows - Amusing
Bitter Daisies - Clumsy
Black Summer - Unimpactful
Modus - Interesting
The Village - Emotional
No Good Nick - Nah
In The Dark - Refreshing
Bonding - Average
Chambers - Slow
The Romanoffs - Charming
Ingress: The Animation - Disappointing
Gentleman Jack - Peppy
The Society - Intriguing
Bless This Mess - Stupid
HarmonQuest - Fun
What/If - Expected
Alta Mar (High Seas) - Rushing
Chernobyl - Gripping
Mary + Jane - Letdown
Locked Up - Okay
How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) - Modern
Swamp Thing - Valid
L.A.'s Finest - Graceless
NOS4A2 - Intriguing
Trinkets - Passable
Love, Death & Robots - Fun
Barry - Enjoyable
Euphoria - Impressive
Good Omens - Silly
The Rook - Chilling
Black Spot (Zone Blanche) - Grim
Pandora - Stilted
Another Life - Idiotic
The Boys - Fascinating
The Righteous Gemstones - Amusing
The A List - Artificial
Grand Hotel - Typical
On Becoming a God in Central Florida - Interesting
Why Women Kill - Underwhelming
Carnival Row - Unfulfilling
Green Frontier - Tense
The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco - Enthralling
Unbelievable - Compelling
The I-Land - Dreadful
Criminal - Concise
Sorry For Your Loss - Unrealized
Marianne - Creepy
The Hockey Girls - Okay
The Politician - Deceiving
Emergence - Intriguing
Evil - Average
The Unicorn - Chucklesome
Stumptown - Badass
Bluff City Law - Pretentious
Secret Bridesmaids' Business - Building
Batwoman - Disappointing
The Capture - Thrilling
Perfect Harmony - Cheerful
Nancy Drew - Skewed
Looking For Alaska - Different
Raising Dion - Unconvincing
Daybreak - Cool
Almost Family - Copycat
We Are the Wave - Compelling
Dickinson - Entertaining
The Morning Show - Mediocre
Ad Vitam - Alluring
His Dark Materials - Unconvincing
Watchmen - Interesting
Dollface - Possible
The Mandalorian - Quality
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series - Bad
Mrs. Fletcher - Sad
Temple - Okay
For All Mankind - Impressive
Harley Quinn - Amusing
Servant - Unsettling
Dublin Murders - Gloomy
The Witcher - Immersive
Merry Happy Whatever - Abusive
The Gift - Perhaps
Soundtrack - Tolerable
The L Word: Generation Q - Surprising
Messiah - Rising
Spinning Out - Average
Twice Upon a Time - Artsy
Dracula - Interesting
Reef Break - Light
The Neighbor - Weird
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist - Charming
Medical Police - Ridiculous
Cheer - Frightening
Bring It On, Ghost - Silly
AJ and the Queen - Disproportionate
Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector - Typical
Ares - Maybe
Avenue 5 - Quaint
October Faction - Basic
You Cannot Hide - Meh
The Stranger - Mediocre
My Brilliant Friend - Bleak
Outmatched - Foolish
Locke & Key - Underwhelming
Star Trek: Picard - Interesting
High Fidelity - Meh
Omniscient - Doubtful
Ultraviolet - Passable
Wu Assassins - Typical
Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet - Relatable
The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia - Nah
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens - Trying
Treadstone - Expected
Hunters - Potential
I Am Not Okay With This - Cool
Unstoppable - Unlikely
Katy Keene - Delusional
ZeroZeroZero - Promising
Devs - Mysterious
Dare me - Intriguing
Motherland: Fort Salem - Powerful
Feel Good - Fine
Vampires - Mediocre
The Plot Against America - Okay
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness - Mad
Amazing Stories - Impressive
Home Before Dark - Charming
How to Fix a Drug Scandal - Erie
Unorthodox - Impactful
Run - Meh
Mrs. America - Rising
Picnic at Hanging Rock - Strange
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels - Cute
Dummy - Unconvincing
Never Have I Ever - Desperate
Tales From the Loop - Atmospheric
Into the Night - Typical
Summertime - Bland
Hollywood - Passable
Stargirl - Enjoyable
Snowpiercer - Decent
Control Z - Potential
Upload - Questionable
Love Life - Complete
Space Force - Silly
Betty - Chill
Normal People - Endearing
The Baby-Sitters Club - Unconvincing
Perry Mason - Unsatisfactory
Warrior Nun - Okay
Cursed - Offbeat
Little Voice - Lovely
Dispatches From Elsewhere - Perhaps
Little Fires Everywhere - Quality
Get Even - Passable
Brave New World - Meh
Teenage Bounty Hunters - Silly
Biohackers - Intriguing
Lovecraft Country - Building
Ted Lasso - Laughable
Away - Thorough
Hightown - Sad
Diary of a Future President - Annoying
Raised by Wolves - Ehh
Utopia (2020) - Potential
Utopia (2013) - Potential
Emily in Paris - Expected
The Third Day - Off-putting
Good Morning, Verônica - Passable
The Haunting of Bly Manor - Impactful
Grand Army - Heavy
The Walking Dead: World Beyond - Unnecessary
The Queen's Gambit - Impressive
Truth Seekers - Okay
K.C. Undercover - Exaggerated
Two Weeks to Live - Curious
The Expecting - Rushing
The Undoing - Alluring
Peaky Blinders - Typical
Industry - Unconvincing
Big Sky - Tolerable
The Flight Attendant - Bonkers
I Hate Suzie - Unhinged
Moonbase 8 - Bad
Soulmates - Nah
The Wilds - Unexpected
Tiny Pretty Things - Reach
Helstrom - Adequate
Dash & Lily - Cute
Bridgerton - Stilted
Gabby Duran and the Unsittables - Excessive
The Stand - OK
The Watch - Nah
Mr. Mayer - Vapid
Lupin - Exciting
Fate: The Winx Saga - Expected
Bureau of Magical Things - Nonthreatening
WandaVision - Interesting
Resident Alien - Chuckle
Walker - Pitiful
Clarice - Mediocre
The Equalizer - Entertaining
Behind Her Eyes - Ok
neXt - Curious
Ginny & Georgia - Delightful
Superman & Lois - Different
Young Rock - Silly
Tribes of Europa - Lacklustre
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier - Meh
Zero Chill - Fun
The Irregulars - Quaint
Debris - Doubtful
Generation - Fresh
Made for Love - Basic
The Nevers - Awesome
Cruel Summer - Chilling
Shadow and Bone - Overreaching
Mare of Easttown - Bleak
Sexify - Unappealing
Jupiter's Legacy - Maybe
Home Economics - Typical
M.O.D.O.K. - Nah
Sweet Tooth - Maybe
Loki - Decent
Katla - Bare
The Mysterious Benedict Society - Peculiar
iCarly (2021) - Expected
Gossip Girl (2021) - Unsurprising
Kevin Can Fuck Himself - Strange
The White Lotus - Fun
We Hunt Together - Cool
Love, Victor - Acceptable
American Horror Stories - Fun
What If...? - Chuckle
Brand New Cherry Flavor - Cool
Reservation Dogs - Different
Schmigadoon - Comical
Clickbait - Tempo
Fantasy Island - Nauseating
The Republic of Sarah - Cool
Y: The Last Man - Brutal
Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. - Surprising
Midnight Mass - Solemn
Squid Game - Shouty
Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol - Stereotypical
La Brea - Nah
Foundation - Reach
Vigil - Dramatic
Just Beyond - Light
I Know What You Did Last Summer - Chilling
Chucky - Amateurish
Ordinary Joe - Dull
The Girl in the Woods - Green
Invasion - Mysterious
My Name - Mediocre
Dopesick - Depressing
Dive Club - Expected
Evermoor - Crowded
Kamikaze - Gloomy
Intertwined (Entrelazados) - Pleasant
One of Us is Lying - Annoying
Cowboy Bebop - Passable
Yellowjackets - Compelling
Hawkeye - Unsurprising
The Unsettling - Stumbling
The Wheel Of Time - Gratuitous
Elves (Nisser) - Maybe
Station Eleven - Quality
Arcane - Surprising
Nine Perfect Strangers - Passable
H2O: Just Add Water - Fun
The Book of Boba Fett - Typical
I Didn't Do It - Overeager
Only Murders in the Building - Amusing
Kitz - Hollow
Punky Brewster - Fluctuating
Mako Mermaids - Loopy
Archive 81 - Eerie
Ragdoll - Archetypal
Peacemaker - Wild
How I Met Your Father - Stale
In From the Cold - Bad
Into The Dark - Entertaining
Pam & Tommy - Amusing
Naomi - Sweet
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window - Maybe
Inventing Anna - Average
All of us are Dead - Class
Ghost - Silly
The Afterparty - Meh
Severance - Surreal
Succession - Masterly
Our Flag Means Death - Expected
Pieces of Her - Stirring
The Endgame - Lively
American Auto - Dopey
From - Unsettling
Astrid and Lily Save the World - Foolish
Minx - Fun
The Dropout - Unconvincing
Halo - Rubbish
Shining Vale - Brash
Suspicion - Climbing
Moon Knight - Unusual
Day of the Dead - Trash
Big Shot - Basic
Reacher - Chill
Swimming with Sharks - Acceptable
Heartstopper - Bland
The Rising - Intense
The 7 Lives Of Lea - Alluring
The Man Who Fell to Earth - Peculiar
Cheat - Fierce
Welcome to Eden - Excessive
The Lincoln Lawyer - Regular
Obi-Wan Kenobi - Imposed
The Time Traveler's Wife - Formidable
Irma Vep - Fresh
Ms. Marvel - Delightful
First Kill - Flat
The Summer I Turned Pretty - Lovely
Boo, Bitch - Goofy
Resident Evil - Passable
God's Favorite Idiot - Idiotic
The Lodge - Neat
My So-called Life - Fresh
Sacred Lies - Ominous
Paper Girls - Wild
Rebel Cheer Squad - Unnecessary
The Bear - Mad
Keep Breathing - Meh
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin - Clichés
The Sandman - Adequate
A League of Their Own - Caricature
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law - Delightful
House of the Dragon - Dignified
Partner Track - Overconfident
Fakes - Modern
Devil in Ohio - Wavering
The Rings of Power - Ambitious
Everything I Know About Love - Neurotic
Sleep with Me - Endearing
Heartbreak High - Odd
Life by Ella - Sloppy
Little Demon - Zany
Vampire Academy - Rushed
Upright - Zesty
High School - Classic
The Winchesters - Stale
A Friend of the Family - Mediocre
The Peripheral - Borderline
Blockbuster - Archetypal
Wednesday - Sharp
The Midnight Club - Creepy
Bumper in Berlin - Embarrassing
Dark Angel (2000) - Exhilarating
National Treasure: Edge of History - Adequate
Willow - Fantastic
The Confessions of Frannie Langton - Striking
Reginald the Vampire - Mediocre
The Devil's Hour - Mystic
Velma - Ghastly
The Last of Us - Powerful
Walker: Independence - Stumbling
Fleischman is in Trouble - Crude
Will Trent - Oversaturated
So Help Me Todd - Straightforward
Reprisal - Sharp
The Way Home - Sweet
Extraordinary - Enjoyable
Shrinking - Piercing
Lockwood & Co. - Unremarkable
The Essex Serpent - Flat
Alaska Daily - Choppy
Freeridge - Meh
Copenhagen Cowboy - Composed
Poker Face - Fun
Wolf Pack - Unrefined
Red Rose - Charisma
Mila in the Multiverse - Endearing
The Consultant - Intense
Wedding Season - Passable
The Ark - Unconvincing
Daisy Jones & The Six - Maybe
The Law According to Lidia Poët - Cheeky
That '90s Show - Forced
Eva Lasting (La Primera Vez) - Juvenile
Gotham Knights - Laughable
Animal Control - Rudimentary
Class of '07 - Bananas
Wizards of Waverly Place - Tacky
Lucky Hank - Bleak
Blindspotting - Overstylized
True Lies - Artificial
The Power - Charged
Tiny Beautiful Things - Striking
School Spirits - Rising
The Company You Keep - Archetypal
Rabbit Hole - Uninspired
The Last Thing He Told Me - Workable
Tales of the Walking Dead - Adequate
The Patient - Concept
Totally Completely Fine - Solid
Slip - Distinctive
Citadel - Overreach
Mrs. Davis - Wild
Swarm - Uncomfortable
Ingen Ängel (No Angel) - Fierce
XO, Kitty - Adorbs
FUBAR - Adequate
Class of '09 - Steady
The Diplomat - Strong
The Idol - Intense
Platonic - Chuckle
The Clearing - Sinister
Based on a True Story - Trendy
Lost Girl - Spirited
Secret Invasion - Routine
I'm a Virgo - Wild
The Baby - Peculiar
Silo - Despairing
Hello Tomorrow - Bleak
Panic - Alluring
The Chosen - Stretching
Mask Girl - Jittery
Who is Erin Carter? - Decent
The Ultimatum: Queer Love - Feral
Ahsoka - Referential
One Piece - Cute
Twisted Metal - Nuts
Special Ops: Lioness - Severe
Gen V - Solid
Dead Pixels - Silly
The Fall of the House of Usher - Intriguing
I Woke Up A Vampire - Childlike
Everything Now - Imperfect
The Burning Girls - Doomy
Lessons in Chemistry - Amusing
Found - Expected
Black Cake - Heartbreaking
1883 - Dull
The Buccaneers - Swell
Orphan Black: Echoes - Lacking
Obliterated - Banal
A Murder at the End of the World - Tense
The Doll Factory - Ineffectual
Obituary - Amusing
Such Brave Girls - Unstable
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters - Adequate
The Lazarus Project - Unexceptional
Culprits - Tense
Mayfair Witches - Inferior
Goosebumps - Expected
The Irrational - Delusional
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Grasping
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off - Chucklesome
The Outlaws - Tame
Single Drunk Female - Dodgy
Echo - Deliberate
The Artful Dodger - Bumpy
Death and Other Details - Lively
Mr. & Mrs. Smith - Poised
Hazbin Hotel - Cute
The Sex Lives of College Girls - Lighthearted
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) - Fine
Constellation - Tense
Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale - Unremarkable
True Detective: Night Country - Grim
Elsbeth - Witty
The Gentlemen - Savage
The Girls on the Bus - Sharp
3 Body Problem - Eerie
Furies - Feral
Renegade Nell - Cool
Ted - Aged
Fallout - Disjointed
Under the Bridge - Gloomy
A Gentleman in Moscow - Pleasant
Wild Cards - Scrap
Sugar - Pretentious
The Regime - Unhinged
Conversations with Friends - Still
Criminal Record - Solid
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Off-kilter
Dead Boy Detectives - Whimsical
Bodkin - Peculiar
Dark Matter - Measured
The Veil - Cryptic
Geek Girl - Sugary
The Acolyte - Stilted
Den Sorte Svane - Artificial
Don't Look Deeper - Compelling
We Are Lady Parts - Delightful
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Stumbling
Young Sheldon - Unexceptional
The Decameron - Feisty
Lady in the Lake - Antagonism
Land of Women - Doubtful
Knuckles - Silly
Domino Day - Uncertain
Time Bandits - Witless
My Lady Jane - Fresh
KAOS - Curious
Agatha All Along - Dubious
Nobody Wants This - Underwhelming
Penelope - Magical
Sweetpea - Unnerving
High Potential - Surprising
Hysteria! - Wavering
Doctor Odyssey - Conceited
Wayne - Desolate
The Penguin - Frank
The Franchise - Underwhelming
Matlock - Solid
Say Nothing - Stirring
The Day of the Jackal - Professional
Selenkay - Stilted
Cruel Intentions - Controlled
Skeleton Crew - Joyous
Interior Chinatown - Carefree
A Man on the Inside - Simple
Teacup - Uneasy
Black Doves - Rushing
Paris Has Fallen - Expected
The Perfect Couple - Resentful
The Jetty - Unpretentious
Dexter: Original Sin - Distinctive
Laid - Unrestrained
Cross - Resentment
Brilliant Minds - Reaching
English Teacher - Nothing
The Madness - Wavering
Raising Voices (No Una Más) - Sound
Citadel: Diana - Cryptic
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart - Heartbreaking
Red Eye - Overproduced
The Witcher: Blood Origin - Uninspired
The Crow Girl - Rough
Three Women - Measured
The Agency - Control
Apple Cider Vinegar - Tempting
Tru Calling - Compelling
Zero Day - Thorough
Toxic Town - Foreboding
Daredevil: Born Again - Less
The Night Agent - Erratic
The Residence - Crowded
Happy Face - Uneasy
Side Quest - Characteristic
The Hunting Party - Plain
Adolescence - Traumatic
Andor - Regular
On Call - Propaganda
St. Denis Medical - Stereotypical
Murderbot - Compelling
Bet - Overstated
Sirens - Anxious
Barracuda Queens - Weak
We Were Liars - Capable
Olympo - Merciless
Iron heart - Rushing
Smoke - Gritty
Code of Silence - Compelling
The Institute - Enthralling
Untamed - Sorrowful
North of North - Bumbling
The Hunting Wives - Foreboding
Letters From The Past - Bumpy
The Recruit - Immature
Alice in Borderland - Evocative
Butterfly - Enticing
Alien: Earth - Solid
The Rainmaker - Common
Dexter: Resurrection - Same
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox - Adequate
Task - Steady
The Girlfriend - Cagey
Wayward - Eerie
Monster: The Ed Gein Story - Unpleasant
Hal & Harper - Striking
Murder in a Small Town - Wooden
It: Welcome to Derry - Fierce
Pluribus - Profound
Your Friends & Neighbours - Unhappy
I Love LA - Exhausting
Down Cemetery Road - Archetypal
The Last Frontier - Excessive
The Horror of Dolores Roach - Hostile
The Chair Company - Rage
The Beast in Me - Savage
Cometierra (Unburied) - Curious
Talamasca: The Secret Order - Building
Merteuil (The Seduction) - Seductive
Playing Gracie Darling - OK
Moonhaven - Clumsy
The War Between the Land and the Sea - Solid
Run Away - Gritty
His & Hers - Lively
Agatha Christie's Seven Dials - Measured
Ponies - Capable
Hijack - Competent
Tehran - Attempt
Familia de Medianoche (Midnight Family) - Median
56 Days - Frightening
The Runarounds - Sweet
Steal - Clean

V - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:04:44 +0000

I’m a big sci-fi fan and this also is the case when it comes to series even though the number of sci-fi series I love is low, with Fringebeing my all-time favorite non-comedy series. So when I finally gave the series V a chance I didn’t get my hopes up. So I was really in for a surprise.

During the 1st episode I was still skeptic but I was completely hooked before the 2nd was done. That was yesterday and today I just finished the whole first season. One thing was clear - it kept getting better and better during the whole season.

The series contains many very interesting ideas and aspects concerning diplomacy with an alien race, technology, what it means to be human, terrorism, manipulation, love, and much more.

This is definitely a series I will follow the 2nd season of as well (which of two episodes already have aired) and I can also highly recommend it to all who like sci-fi and would like to see a new angle on the “aliens come to earth”-theme.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-01-15)

Wonder Women - Pilot

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:04:07 +0000

In addition to all the series we know and love there are still quite a few which never managed to get made. For some of these never made series pilot episodes were created and in certain cases some of these unaired pilots are made public, either on purpose or by getting leaked.

The later is (so far) the case for the 2011 live action Wonder Woman series. (I will not provide a link to the leaked pilot.)

NBC produced a little while ago a pilot for a potential 2011 live action Wonder Woman series with Adrianne Palicki in the leading role as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. After the production of the pilot it was determined that the series would not be made. A decision I understand after getting the opportunity to watch the pilot.

The pilot is as many other pilots with its only half finished visual effects, mediocre sets, and an overall “unfinished” feel. These are all aspects which are a result of the small budget often sat when creating pilots - and I can easily see past these shortcomings. The problem of the pilot is that it is presenting an ambiguous Wonder Woman. At times she talks about wanting to set a good example (and not be a sex-symbol) and do the right thing, but this do certainly not mix with that she for the most of the pilot is a torturing murdering sex-symbol. Yes, that is correct: She tortures so-called “criminals” for information while the police looks the other way, she murders the criminals/guards who get in her way, and she uses her revealing costume to get what she wants (she even says that “this outfit opens doors for me”).

I have never read the Wonder Woman comics so I can not talk about how true this pilot is to the original story. I can however compare this to the other comic book movie and series adaptations I’ve watched. Compared to what else have been made I think this 2011 Wonder Woman series could have had a place in the world of comic book adaptations if the main character got her personality disorder sorted out, or possibly had it integrated as a purposeful part of the character. This, however, requires some degree of restructuring of the proposed concept and would probably result in a significantly different series. So if it was up to me I would have reached the same decision as NBC did and canceled the series.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-07-26)

Touch - S01E01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:59:50 +0000

Tim Kring Creates Another Interesting Series: Touch
In my search for new good series, I watched the premiere of Touch, created by Tim Kring (creator of Heroes). Touch is staring Kiefer Sutherland as the father of an autistic, mute son who sees the world differently from others. Like Heroes, Touch is another series where "everything is connected" - a concept which sometimes work, but often fails. This time around I think Tim Kring has made it work without it being chaotic.

Already from the opening monologue of Touch my interest was caught. The series has special feeling to it, similar to the first season of Heroes. The characters have a sense of depth to them and the story is intriguing and actually moving at times. I'm already fascinated by Touch, and it is certainly a series I'll follow.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-26)

The Newsroom - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:59:09 +0000

A True Masterpiece - Review of The Newsroom Season 1
Earlier today I finished watching the season 1 finale of the HBO drama series The Newsroom and there is no doubt in my mind that it is one of the best things I've ever watched. I never knew it was possible for a series, or even a movie, to affect me in the ways this finale episode did and the same goes for the rest of the series in general. The Newsroom is brilliance with no end and it is to me nothing short of a true masterpiece.

When I reviewed the first episode of The Newsroom (goo.gl/ZgPKk) I wrote that it "literally impressed me to tears" which might seem odd to some and also is something which no other piece of media has ever managed to do to me. However, The Newsroom is so immensely brilliantly written that several monologues and dialogues had so much power that they literally brought tears to my eyes. This was very much the case for the first episode but also for some of the later episodes, like for instance episode 6 where the focus was shifted somewhat away from the main character, Will McAvoy (perfectly portrayed by Jeff Daniels), to Sloan Sabbith (Olivia Munn); thereby demonstrating that the show can be brilliant no-matter which of the characters an episode focuses on.

Despite the many immensely powerful moments throughout the season I wasn't prepared for the power the finale episode brought. The finale was by lengths the best way to end a season of a series that I've ever experienced (and I've watched a lot of series). It contained something which I won't hesitate to describe as the best moment in the history of any TV series that I've ever watched and I'll leave it at that. You simply need to experience it yourself; and don't you dare watch it without first having watched the whole series from the beginning.

I think you catch my drift; I am utterly and completely in love with The Newsroom and I can't recommend it enough. This is a series which I would feel insulted if you watched from anywhere but the beginning. It is not for everyone but giving it your undivided attention and watching it from the beginning without skipping a single episode or moment might bring you as much joy as the series has brought me. I truly hope it does.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-08-27)

The Newsroom - S01E01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:58:28 +0000

Completely and Utterly Amazing - Review of The Newsroom Ep. 1
The new HBO series The Newsroom is written by Aaron Sorkin who wrote The Social Network (2010). I fell in love with Aaron Sorkin's writing back in 2010 and tonight I did as well with the first episode of The Newsroom (US folk can watch it here: goo.gl/YzOP6).

Just a few minutes in and I already had goosebumps from the first of several utterly amazing monologues. The episode continued to deliver monologues so good that I literally teared up in amazement, entertaining and heartfelt bits which made me laugh out loud, amazing acting to match the perfectly written characters, and a general plot which captivated and intrigued me the whole episode through.

I'm going to say it: The first episode of The Newsroom made me the most exited any first episode of any series (yes, even Game of Thrones) has ever made me. It literally impressed me to tears.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-06-25)

The Adventures of Shirley Holmes - S01E01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:57:42 +0000

"The Adventures of Shirley Holmes" Appreciation Post
Today I got a hold of the first two episodes of the 1996 Canadian TV series The Adventures of Shirley Holmes which I watched as a child. I felt properly ecstatic and nostalgic about rewatching it and the two episodes were even better than I remembered.

Ryan Gosling is a "bad boy" in the first episode and the second episode introduces Shirley Holmes' nemesis, Molly Hardy. Let me say that again, Shirley Holmes' nemesis is named Molly Hardy. Say it out loud with me: MOLLY HARDY! IT IS A PUN ON MORIARTY!

Unfortunately I can't get a hold of any other episodes from the first season. This makes me sad. I would so very much love to rewatch the rest of The Adventures of Shirley Holmes - all four seasons. Hopefully I will find a way at some point so I can fully relive the glory that is The Adventures of Shirley Holmes.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-06-24)

The 100 - S01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:56:48 +0000

Dear The 100 series,

No matter how much cute backstory you give the guy who, in cold blood, murdered more than a dozen innocent, defenseless men, women, and children, he is still not a good guy. You are doing this thing over and over again, with characters making excuses for torture, murder, and a lot of other evil acts, and then simply proceeding like it was "no big deal." It was, and still is, a big deal! You cannot have your characters perform these unforgivable acts and then have them be the "good guys" a couple of episodes later (or even later on in the same episode).

I haven't forgotten what all these characters did - and now I'm left here watching episode after episode, wishing that more than half of all your main "good guys" would face a fitting punishment for their crimes; which would be death in almost all cases, according to your own universe. Murdering innocent people, including children, cannot be erased by smiling at the cute girl and saying "I did it for you." Mass murder is not romantic! And portraying it as such is a horrible, horrible thing to do.

You think you are telling a story from the perspective of the good guys. You are most definitely not.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-01-31)

Smallville - S09-10

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:55:47 +0000

During the last few weeks I've finally found the time (i.e. procrastination) to continue watching Smallville (2001-2011) from season 9 and all the way to the finale of the series (with season 10). I hadn’t watched the show since the summer of ‘09 but quickly got into it again.

I never really was a fan of Clark Kent/Superman and Smallville didn’t completely change my mind either. The Clark Kent character in Smallville was far too whiny and in general not a character I had sympathy for. The same was the case when it came to Clark Kent’s nemesis Lex Luther, being an even whinier crybaby who never really felt like a true villain, but just an envious douchebag. Due to this, Smallville could easily have become yet another series I never gave a chance, but I’m still glad I did.

While Clark Kent aka. “The Blur” (btw possibly the worst name ever) is the center of the series there are still quite a few secondary main characters who get a lot of screen time, both heroes and villains. My favorites of these are Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack), Lois Lane (Erica Durance), Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley), and Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman). These characters, along with many of the episodes being small stories standing on their own with only few tie-ins to the main story, made the series entertaining and worth watching. A great example of a very entertaining episode with an isolated story is S10E15: “Fortune” which very much is just like the movie The Hangover (2009) and brings with it some of the same comedic elements.

A general problem with Smallville is the constant focus on destiny, fate, Luthor bloodline (i.e. that if you’re of Luthor descent you’re an evil murderer), and all the “I don’t think I’m ready to be the hero the world needs me to be”-whining. It is expected that these topics are touched during a series about where Superman comes from, but it nearly is in every single episode of the newer seasons and it becomes far too much.

Another aspect of Smallville which I also didn’t like was the constant “resurrection” of dead characters. If they hadn’t faked their own death they came back as clones, ghosts, robots/machines, and alternate universe/dimension versions of themselves. This is especially present during the last half of the final season and it really ruined a series I until then had enjoyed.

In the end it seemed to me that the character resurrections were done because the series tried to end along the lines of the regular Superman-story with Clark Kent as a reporter, Lex Luthor as his nemesis, and all the other small aspects. Smallville had told a somewhat different story of Clark Kent which I had enjoyed and this somewhat sudden change very much took this story and destroyed it in the end.

Smallville could had been a fond memory of an entertaining series to look back at, but unfortunately the writers felt they had to stay somewhat true to the original and thereby destroyed the world they had created during these past ten seasons. And when it wasn’t even done in an anywhere near elegant way it just made the whole thing even worse. Truly a disappointing way to end an otherwise good series.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-05-18)

Skins - S07E01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:54:14 +0000

Skins has grown up, but so has I
The British series Skins has had its ups and downs - but for the most part I've loved it. This week the 7th (and last?) season started and it is a bit different from the previous seasons. It is less youthful and wild, and it feels like the series in general has grown up. I was unsure how I would feel about this change in style, but as it turned out, I absolutely love it.

I think the simplest way I can put it is: The episode was bloody brilliant. Both the characters and story were interesting, intriguing, emotional, and clever. It might even be my favorite episode of the series as a whole; yes, I loved it that much.

I look forward to seeing more of this new, grown up Skins.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-07-03)

Sherlock - S01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:53:06 +0000

Genuine and Brilliant - Review of Sherlock
I had for long time let the BBC's take on Sherlock Holmes pass me by, but this week I decided to give it a shot - a decision I absolutely do not regret.

Sherlock (2010-) is an amazing series. It is clever, interesting, captivating, moving, and, simply put, the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation I've ever seen; and, yes, this is including House M.D. (2004-2012) and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes (1996-1999) in my consideration.

At first I thought Sherlock was simply clever but it didn't take long for it to get me completely hooked. The human (read: not flawless) side of Sherlock Holmes was something I truly felt for the first time and it made for a relatable and appealing Sherlock Holmes character. It was however not only only Sherlock Holmes who was a great character, there were also the genuine and grounded Dr. John Watson, the delightful Mrs. Hudson, the understanding DI Lestrade, the utterly, brilliantly insane Jim Moriarty, and the lovely Molly Hooper who might very well be my favorite of the bunch - so human, different, fragile, surprising, and in so many ways both the opposite and the same as Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock made me shed a few tears, but most of all, Sherlock had me glued to the screen in intrigue and interest. Sherlock is Sherlock Holmes in the way I feel it ought to be; clever and human with a spoonful of despair, sadness, and devastation. Tumblr, you were spot on.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-07-12)

Shameless - S04E12

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:52:15 +0000

I have to take a moment to recognize how utterly brilliant the season finale of Shameles (US) season 4 was. I'm sorry to say it, but with writing like this the Game of Thrones season premiere pales in comparison despite also being great. Shameless does what so few series manages to do these days, it stays strong season after season. It has internal forces driving the series instead of external events. No need for the series to go bigger and more brutal, when it instead can stay honest, intimate, and let the characters drive the story. And as for what it especially was that made the finale so great I simply have to say:
William H. Macy and Noel Fisher, I salute you.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-04-07)

Shameless - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:51:35 +0000

Not Too Light, Not Too Dark - Review of Shameless Season 1
Earlier this week I randomly came across a series I hadn't heard about before. It was the US series Shameless based upon the UK series of the same name, and a promo for it caught my interest.

I gave the first episode a shot, then the second, and then I was completely caught by it. I ended up watching the whole first season within a few days.

The series is very much carried by its many interesting characters, and while it is classified as comedy, I felt it was more of a drama series with smaller funny and peculiar parts. The season started out very light and funny, making it easy to get into, but when getting further into the season, the stories began to turn significantly more serious. The depth of the characters began to shine through, and the whole season left me wanting more; luckily for me, season two premieres in January.

Shameless is definitively one of the better series I've watched, and I've watched quite a few. It is funny without being silly; it is serious without being depressing; it is detailed without being confusing; it is emotional without being nauseating; and it is overall a great series.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-25)

Sense8 - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:50:54 +0000

Breathtaking - Review of Sense8
When I first saw the trailer for the Netflix series Sense8 I thought it looked kind of interesting, but I wasn't really that intrigued. Then the whole first season hit Netflix yesterday, and since I woke early this morning I thought I'd give it a shot. Now, about 12 hours later, I finished the whole damn thing. To put it in one word: Breathtaking.

From the very first episode I was caught by the characters and their individual stories right off the bat. From the trailer, I had come to fear that the series would be too fast paced and chaotic, so that the characters wouldn't get the individual time they deserved. That certainly wasn't true. This is truly a series with the whole focus on the characters, with the sci-fi elements and overlaying plot only being there to giving us an extra dimension to explore the individual characters through, as well as them as a group.

Normally in movies and series with multiple main characters, especially ones with individual stories, you end up having favorites and then others you tolerate or even despise. In Sense8 that absolutely is not the case. Every single character and their individual stories are some of the best written, most interesting, and most human I've ever seen in any series - or even movie. They are all simply that good.

Sense8 took me through all the emotions, sometimes multiple at once. I felt completely connected to the characters and felt their joy, fear, sadness, love, and much more. It was definitely an emotional rollercoaster in the most perfect of ways. At no point during the whole season did I feel bored or annoyed with anything about it (well, except for the 10 minutes I had to put it on pause to go vote in the Danish election - but even the best series ever won't stop me from voting).

Sense8 is truly a magnificent series. Dare I even say it is a masterpiece? Either way, Sense8 is a breathtakingly amazing series with so many different themes, genres, character types, and sides about it to love. Definitely one of my all-time favorites series - possible even #1.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-06-06)

Pushing Daisies - S01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:50:12 +0000

Getting Around to Giving Pie and Death a Chance
In the last couple of years I've several times stumbles across mentionings of a series named Pushing Daisies. The series was always spoken about with kind words, but somehow I never got around to give it a chance.
Until now.

The plot of Pushing Daisies is deliciously silly. It's about a pie-maker with the power to bring dead people back to life with a single touch, and then with another, put them back to death permanently.

The kind words I had heard about the series were true. It is very colorful, quirky, and entertaining. Not the best comedy around, but still worth watching, and sure to put a smile on one's face.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-11)

Luther - S01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:49:13 +0000

Thrilling and Interesting - Review of Luther
How did I miss something this great? Well, yesterday I finally got around to giving the British drama series Luther a shot and I ended up getting hooked right away and watching almost the whole first season. Today I then watched the rest of the first season as well as the second (and most recent) season and I can now say this: Luther is one of the very best crime drama series I've watched.

The first season is great, borderline amazing, with especially the unique relationship between the characters John Luther and Alice Morgan being one of the things I instantly fell a little bit in love with. The second season is unfortunately not as great as the first one, but it is still very good and I'm eagerly looking forward to the third season.

Luther is a series which took me by surprise and which I highly can recommend to anyone who likes crime drama series.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-09-23)

Lauren - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:48:14 +0000

Powerful and Emotional - Review of Lauren Season 1
Despite having heard many good things about the series Lauren I hadn't gotten around to watching it until today. As it turned out, I was missing out on something great.

Lauren is produced by the YouTube channel +WIGS (http://youtube.com/wigs) and it is a story about the aftermath of the gang rape of a female soldier. This is a tough, but important, subject and Lauren certainly does it justice. I have so far only watched the first of the two seasons, but I got so affected by each episode that I felt I needed to post about it even though I do not have time to watch the second season yet.

The main character is portrayed by Troian Bellisario, who I before only knew from the TV series Pretty Little Liars, and she delivers a performance so strong that made me tear up.

The first season is short but it is nonetheless both powerful and emotional. This is a need-to-watch series and I'm looking forward to finding time for watching the second season later this weekend.

Season 1:
Part 1 of 3: http://youtu.be/JKYfdO5LFDs
Part 2 of 3: http://youtu.be/fVx5qrzv8Xg
Part 3 of 3: http://youtu.be/AWvxB8K8ClM

Season 2:
Part 1 of 12: http://youtu.be/pzbT2_5ZZK0
Part 2 of 12: http://youtu.be/aGU5eLYdA0k
Part 3 of 12: http://youtu.be/xnNwWIXlRbw
Part 4 of 12: http://youtu.be/hkYRjJrkus8
Part 5 of 12: http://youtu.be/9dZJogL34_A
Part 6 of 12: http://youtu.be/OLkGsT6NhfI
Part 7 of 12: http://youtu.be/8teDp1PK-Fg
Part 8 of 12: http://youtu.be/4vcy-oM9w0Y
Part 9 of 12: http://youtu.be/1XOmSlnAaeg
Part 10 of 12: http://youtu.be/JxP8yah_6zw
Part 11 of 12: http://youtu.be/2Q-wLXxY11Q
Part 12 of 12: http://youtu.be/sT8JDQ4RyWk

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-06-15)

I Am Jazz - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:46:57 +0000

Moving and Interesting - Review of I Am Jazz
This evening I've watched two things called I Am Jazz - one was a documentary from 2011 and the other was a reality-TV show from 2015 - both about the same family. The former is amazing, moving, and interesting. The latter is an obnoxious, manipulative, and fabricated take on the life of a good, decent family. Needless to say, I like one way, way more than the other.

I Am Jazz is an insight into the life of a young transgender girl named Jazz and her loving and supporting family. We first meet Jazz at age 10 and then in the documentary see Jazz turning 11 and starting puberty and the challenges that comes herewith for a transgender child. It is an interesting, extremely relevant, and very interesting look into the life of a young transgender girl who has the full support, understanding, and love of her family. It is very moving insight and one I'm glad I stumbled upon. The way the look into this family's life is presented is quite well done in the documentary, but slightly (if not more) disrespectful and manipulative in the reality-TV series (as one would expect). The fact that the TV series distorts reality so much, in order to create nonexistent drama, is a shame since the real story is way more interesting and moving. Luckily the truth shines through and we get to see the support and obstacles that Jazz and her family experience.

Seeing a transgender girl with such a such degree of understanding of who she is, and the confidence to be who she is all the way through, is a comfort in a world where so many people have to go through so much hardship in order to be true to themselves and show the world who they are. Spreading understanding and acceptance (not just tolerance) is important and Jazz is absolutely helping doing so, even if she sometimes worries if she is worthy of being that kind of role model or posterchild.

I Am Jazz is a moving and interesting peek into a world that a lot of us rarely think about. It is an insight into a world that is still changing for the better, with more and more people understanding and embracing that not all people are the same and that this is not a bad thing. Thank you to Jazz and her family for sharing their lives with us.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-07-31)

Humans - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:45:59 +0000

Extraordinarily Intelligent - Review of Humans Season 1
When I first heard of the TV series Humans (2015) I didn't expect anything at all and it actually took me a while to get around to giving it a shot. When I finally did I was completely blown away with the series' take on AI with its stories and characters being better than anything related to AI I've ever seen. Yes, even way beyond what Ex Machina (2015) managed to do with the subject.

In addition to being insanely interesting, Humans also manages to be captivating and moving. The stories of the individual characters are relatable and feel very real, which is enhanced by the spot-on acting. Not only the characters are written extremely well, but the whole world-building also works without a hitch. Every detail of Humans is thought through and made in an intelligent, but still simple, way.

As a whole Humans is the complete package with thoroughly complex and interesting characters, a fully relatable universe with a slight twist, several opposing groups who you can understand all sides of (no good individuals vs. bad individuals - just individuals), and an overall story that probably will be very relevant to our own lives within not too long. Humans has won a place among my favorite series - and it is definitely one of the most intelligently done series I've ever seen.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-08-03)

How I Met Your Mother - S09E23-24

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:44:29 +0000

The End of the How I Met Your Mother Era
Aka. spoiler-free review of HIMYM finale

Some might think it is a bit strong calling the years with How I Met Your Mother an era but the series was my Friends; well, Friends was my Friends too - but that ended and How I Met Your Mother took its place for me and I ended up loving it far more than Friends.

It has been 9 years with both laughter and tears - though significantly more of the former. The series hasn’t innovated much but I never grew tired of it. It has been the characters of How I Met Your Mother that held me glued to the screen week after week even if the main character of Ted Mosby could be a bit much at times. Every time the series got a sense of staleness to it something great came along which proved that How I Met Your Mother could be the opposite of cheap laughs - a quality which I think is why I ended up getting as attached to HIMYM as I did.

After 9 years How I Met Your Mother had gone on for long enough and it was time for an end which luckily came in time. Now for the difficult task - how does one end a series that has gone on for this long? Many other series have approached the task of a finale in different ways and many of them have failed miserably - something I was worried HIMYM would do as well. Fortunately this wasn’t the case.

As it turns out parts of the HIMYM finale were filmed 9 years ago - the parts with the children. In fact, as I have just found out (goo.gl/dQ9P7a), all scenes with the children throughout all 9 seasons were filmed during the first season. I am not sure whether the end was planned all along or the scenes from back then were merely incorporated to a newly written end - but it worked. Unlike so many other endings of long-running series, this one felt fitting. It seemed a bit weird at first but the end of the story was taken in a direction I did not see coming, though soon realized was a perfect ending. Tears were shed - and not because the story had ended but because of the end itself. It was perfect - not execution-wise but story-wise which is all I could ever ask for.

A worthy end to a series I love.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-04-01)

House of Cards - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:43:39 +0000

Extremely Captivating - Review of House of Cards
It's late so I'll make this short so I can get a good night's sleep. Today I noticed that House of Cards, a political drama series produced by Netflix, had premiered. When I long ago first saw the trailer for it I was intrigued so I gave it a shot today. Fast forward about 11 solid hours and I'm done with the whole season.

That's right; I got so captivated by House of Cards that I ended up watching all 13 episodes in a straight row only interrupted by toilet visits and a quick dinner. It was simply that captivating.

House of Cards has made all my doubts about if Netflix is worth my money go away. It is a truly great series with interesting characters, intriguing writing, and superb acting, all coming together to create quite an experience.

My advice is clear: Watch it!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-02-03)

Hell on Wheels - S01E01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:42:46 +0000

I'm Still Not Convinced by Hell on Wheels
After the first two episodes of the series Hell on Wheels, I'm still not convinced that I like it. It has a few interesting aspects, but the main story-line and main character (played by Anson Mount) haven't caught me yet. I actually do not feel either is very interesting.

I however still haven't decided to abandon the series, mostly due to the side story line with Dominique McElligott's character, who in a scene in the second episode stitches her own wound in a quite memorable way. But if this side story isn't getting more screen time than until now, or the main character do not get more interesting, I don't think I'll continue to watch.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-14)

Glee - S01-03

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:41:55 +0000

Almost Laughable, But Entertaining and Moving - Review of Glee
I had previously given Glee a shot for about 10 minutes before abandoning it for being too laughable. However, for some reason I last week decided to revisit it and this time I stuck with it, watched all the episodes, and actually got hooking by it in the process.

Glee contains many ridiculous aspects which I certainly could do without. In several episodes I had to skip over a few songs due to me either hating the songs beforehand or just not being in the mood for the fourth lovey-dovey love ballad or Christmas song in a row.

Despite the aspects of Glee I didn't like, I found myself getting fond of several of the characters and their personal journeys (for instance Kurt, Burt, Santana, and Brittany). The show has several entertaining aspects but also contains a handful of very moving story lines which I feel are the best parts of Glee.

To able to watch Glee one has to be able to stand the constant stream of songs, which for the most part is not too difficult since most of both the songs and the singers are acceptable. There are many a little too sugar sweet aspects of the show which can be a bit much in the long run, though they are bearable due to the contrast with the more serious aspects, which, however, are a bit lacking in some episodes.

I'm sure many people would hate watching Glee, but for the music-happy people who can stand watching some teenage drama, Glee is a great choice. At least I enjoy it far more than Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, which are the two other teenage drama (guilty pleasure) shows I'm following.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-03-05)

Girl Meets World - S01-03

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:37:08 +0000

Expecting Something Else
This evening I just finished watching all the aired episodes of Girl Meets World - and I have to say that I feel inspired. Yes, this is indeed one of the best series I've ever watched - but more importantly, it is important. It taught me things I didn't except to learn from a Disney Channel show - or any other show or movie for that matter. I was expecting something else - something different - something less significant. I was wrong.

Girl Meets World is so very, very human. It is full of absolutely real emotions, set in an entertaining, fictive, Disney setting - which (surprise!) isn't more that a few degrees from the world we live in. You see yourself in every single character - or at least I think I do. You understand everything - even the stuff you disagree with. No, really, think about it. You see a character make a decision, that you fully understand and agree with, while at the same time as you understand and agree with a character with the exact opposite opinion. That is exactly what you hope a good TV series can do.

Yes, Girl Meets World may be cheesy as fuck - but it is damn great at being cheesy in the most sincere way possible. It is self-conscious in a way, I've never seen a serious show be before, and it touches all the right nodes. Yes, this is a well thought out and extremely well executed show; a show you really should give a shot.

It is without hesitation that I say that Girl Meets World is my favorite Disney Channel show - and probably also the show that has caused me to shed the most tears - because DAMN, this is some heartfelt stuff. Well done, Girl.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2016-07-16)

Doctor Who - The Day of the Doctor

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:36:08 +0000

Partly Brilliant - Review of The Day of the Doctor (spoiler-free)
I just finished watching the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special and I thought I'd write down my initial (spoiler-free) thoughts before rewatching it. (Note: I try to write this review spoiler free but you might not understand it if you haven't watched the episode.)

Overall The Day of the Doctor was better than I had dared hope for - but to be honest I didn't dare to hope for much. It had parts which might be among my absolute favorite parts of the whole series and then it had parts which was more 'meh' than anything.

I fell completely in love with almost every scene with John Hurt and Billie Piper (especially the scenes with no one else in them); those were truly amazingly written and executed. As for the scenes with David Tennant then they were generally at the level we were used to from the David Tennant era - and that wasn't a bad era at all. The scenes with Matt Smith wasn't bad - but didn't really shine either.

As for Jenna-Louise Coleman's scenes then these might not at first seem like much - but afterwards when thinking about it, Oswin's part was MAJOR; she created a connection and overall commentary between the Doctors which the episode probably would have felt segmented without.

All in all, I loved the episode. Yes, it had a bit many parts which seemed like just plain fan-service and it wasn't as dark as I had hoped, but John Hurt and Billie Piper, and how their parts were written, were simply brilliant.

Now for rewatching The Day of the Doctor - this time in HD and without the 10+ BBC iPlayer crashes.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-11-23)

Doctor Who - S01-06

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:31:37 +0000

My Varying Love for Doctor Who
For a little more than two weeks ago I began watching Doctor Who from season 1. I had previously followed the series from season 5, with the introduction of the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy Pond, and because of the long break before the 7th season begins, I felt it was a good time to get around to watching the earlier seasons (however, only the 2005 series). What I didn't expect was that I after just 19 days would have managed to watch all the first four seasons (including the specials) and arrive at the place where I first were when I began watching Doctor Who; the introduction of the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond.

Having seen all seasons of Doctor Who (still, the 2005 series), I have to say that I'm not equally impressed by every part of the series. The first season, with the 9th Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), was to me not anywhere near as enjoyable as the later seasons. It had its good parts but was mostly just "okay." The series, however, took a turn for the better with the introduction of the 10th Doctor (David Tennant), and from here I felt the series got better and better. This increase in quality become clear in the brilliant episode "Blink" (S03E10), which still is my favorite Doctor Who episode.

Being along on the journey with the 10th Doctor was extremely enjoyable and exiting, but this unfortunately didn't last. Already from the beginning of season 4, with the introduction of Donna Noble, the series felt a bit off. It still had its fair share of great moments - like "Silence in the Library" (S04E08) and "Forest of the Dead" (S04E09), both with River Song - but it wasn't quite what it earlier had been. This decrease in quality didn't however last all the way through the season, and the higher quality from earlier seasons, was returned nearing the season finale and in the specials following the finale.

After the first four seasons of ups and downs, I've begun watching the 5th season again. Already from the very first episode, I could clearly feel the increase in detail and execution, with for instance the score getting a significant notch up in quality. It is to me more clear than ever that my favorite Doctor is the 11th, along with Amy Pond as my favorite companion, not counting the companions of only one or two episodes. Season 5 and season 6 have a consistent extremely high level of quality, both in the writing and executing. Clearly my favorite seasons.

Overall, Doctor Who is quite an enjoyable experience to watch and despite it not being consistently great, the journey and the small bits of knowledge gathered along the way, are worth it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-15)

Caprica - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:30:45 +0000

Caprica - The Failed Battlestar Galactica Spin-Off
Back when I about 10 months got around to finish the whole first (and only) season of Caprica, I understood why it got canceled, but my hope for a second season was there nonetheless.

To those who do not know, Caprica was a spin-off prequel to the series Battlestar Galactica (the new re-imagined version). It takes place half a century before the events in Battlestar Galactica and revolves around the “birth” of the first Cylon.

When I began watching Caprica, I did so with 2-3 of my friends who all were fans of Battlestar Galactica, while I myself never had watched a single episode. For this reason we had very different entry points to the universe and expectations to Caprica. While I actually quite enjoyed Caprica and the focus on organized crime and the business side of new revolutionary technology, the friends I watched it with felt there were far too few sci-fi elements. So after season 1 “ended”, we stopped watching together and, as far as I know, I was the only one who continued with season 1.5.

Despite having many great aspects and ideas (especially the virtual reality world), Caprica still felt somewhat unpolished; especially season 1.5.
I, however, still think Caprica is worth giving a look if you enjoy sci-fi depicted through organized crime, religious conflict, and the arms industry.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-08)

Black Mirror - S01-02

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:29:42 +0000

Black Mirror - Reflecting the Dark Side of Us
Do yourself a favour and give the series Black Mirror a shot; it is on Netflix - both season 1 and 2, which I'm watching the latter of this very second.

The series brilliantly reflects dark and scarily accurate sides of humans and our use of technology. Every episode is a stand-alone short film and every single one is eerily spot on in terms of telling some harsh truths about human nature. It is a series that makes you think and for the most part makes you come to some conclusions about what humans are capable of that you won't like; especially since you can see the truth in the stories.

Certainly a series like no other.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-12-06)

Attack on Titan - S01

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:28:39 +0000

Intense and Intriguing - Review of Attack on Titan Season 1
After seeing people on Tumblr's immense interest in the 2013 anime series Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin, based on the manga by Hajime Isayama , I finally gave it a shot yesterday. I got so caught by the series that I've already finished the whole first (and only) season. It is simply that captivating.

At I first I was confused by the world I had been thrown into but this confusion quickly turned into intrigue and interest. While animes normally aren't my kind thing, the story and characters of Attack on Titan were so interesting and captivating that I couldn't stop watching.

Attack on Titan has excellent writing, story, and characters. It might be a bit slow at telling its story - but this is mostly through its focus on the depth of the characters and the character development. The story is also so full of surprises and unpredictable twists that I never once were the least bit bored.

Attack on Titan is not perfect - but it is not far from it either. It is utterly addictive, intense, unpredictable, interesting, and overall a great series.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-10-07)

World of Tomorrow (2015)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:27:04 +0000

This Is Art - Review of World of Tomorrow
(Alternatively titled: "What?")

Netflix suggested the short film World of Tomorrow (2015) to me, which apparently is nominated for an Oscar, so I decided to give a shot. Damn - that was one heck of a ride.

It wasn't so much that the movie aspect of the movie itself was in any way impressive concerning anything other than the script and voice acting. To be frank, the visuals of the movie were downright terrible - but in a weird way I actually think that this might have helped the movie in making me feeling at unease - and, boy, did the movie manage to achieve that to a profound level.

World of Tomorrow is the Don't Hug Me I'm Scared of Oscar-worthy animated short films. It is disturbing, if you pay close attention. It is moving, if you allow yourself to empathize with someone who don't express emotions themselves. It is captivating, if you let yourself accept the absurd premise. It is interesting, if you care for the quirky style of storytelling and different sci-fi universe. It is funny, if you can enjoy that unique kind of morbidly absurd humor. It is clever, if you see the structure in the madness. It is one damn great movie, if you ask me.

World of Tomorrow is a remarkable piece of art. Some people will see something special in it and love it, while others won't get much from it. I, for one, love this piece of art - as absurd as it might be.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2016-01-23)

Wir sind die Nacht (We Are the Night)(2010)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:26:20 +0000

Vampire movies
I feel that in the last couple of years the far majority of American vampire movies have been very disappointing. At least this has been the case for the teenage love rubbish, the remakes which aren't even close to the level of the originals, and then all the stupid action flicks. Fortunately other countries once in a while still manages to create a vampire movie worth watching.

Tonight I watched the German Wir sind die Nacht (We Are the Night)(2010) which I had expected to be yet another stupid action vampire flick, with hot chicks. To my surprise it was actually a good movie. The characters were interesting and intriguing, while the story was simple enough so that it didn't try to introduce an entire vampire society. It reminded me a little of a female version of Queen of the Damned (2002) with a little more edge.

So while most vampire movies out there aren't even decent, this one actually is worth watching if you get the chance. And don't go for the English dubbed version, watch the original German.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-21)

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:25:20 +0000

All the Feels - Review of Wreck-It Ralph
I had extremely high hopes for Wreck-It Ralph (2012) and you what? They were fulfilled and even more so. The movie was, simply put, amazing.

Wreck-It Ralph has tons and tons of pure brilliant moments and I feared a little that a series of moments would be all it had to offer. That was certainly not the case. The movie as a whole is hilarious, captivating, surprising, well-written, moving, and overall an experience which made me feel all the feels.

The movie made me laugh harder than any movie has in a very long time - and it was not the silly kind of humor but the good kind. Surprisingly, the movie also made me cry; yes, there were actual tears. Wreck-It Ralph managed to have me in tears because of all the emotional stuff while at the exact same time having me laugh out aloud. This was something truly spectacular.

While Wreck-It Ralph doesn't fully reach WALL·E's master-piece level, it is not too far behind either. Wreck-It Ralph is a full experience and a movie which in my book belongs among the best Disney films. I cannot recommend it highly enough. WATCH IT!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-02-13)

Whiplash (2014)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:21:40 +0000

Intense and Oscar-Worthy - Review of Whiplash
I added the movie Whiplash (2014) to my "I need to watch this" list long enough ago that I had completely forgotten what it was and why I had added it. Whole damn shit, I was right in making a reminder to myself to watch it. Whiplash is indeed worth watching.

Whiplash is one of those movies that made me feel certain feelings more intensely than I would have thought a movie would be able to. Whiplash actually stepped into a new territory in this regard in that the movie at several points actually made me feel emotional panic - almost panic attacks. This might not sound like a good thing to some people, but I love when movies are able to make me feel something. A movie that for instance makes me laugh, but doesn't move me, is not worth a lot in my eyes. Well, Whiplash didn't make me laugh - but it did move me quite a bit, to put it lightly.

Whiplash is a simple movie; a simple movie with 5 Oscar nominations - of which I strongly believe that it deserves every single one of them; yes, even Best Motion Picture of the Year (though I haven't seen Birdman (2014), so I might be wrong). This is not a light-hearted movie and it might be too triggering for some - but for me it was intense and amazing.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-01-23)

We're the Millers (2013)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:20:44 +0000

Best Comedy Since Pitch Perfect - Review of We're the Millers
The comedy We're the Millers (2013) has perhaps been promoted a bit too much based on the whole "Look! Jennifer Aniston is a stripper!"-theme. As it turned out, a stripping Jennifer Aniston wasn't even close to being the best part of this movie. We're the Millers is ridiculous, entertaining, and hilarious.

I was laughing my ass off throughout the whole movie. It is absolutely hilarious and far beyond anything I had hoped for. The chemistry between the Miller family cast is phenomenal and they were all together perfectly weird, adorable, and fun.

I don't have much more to say. We're the Millers is a fantastic comedy and one I can highly recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-10-31)

Warm Bodies (2013)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:19:11 +0000

Delightful and Extremely Enjoyable - Review of Warm Bodies
When I first heard about Warm Bodies (2013) I thought it frankly sounded very hard to pull off. Guess what; they pulled if off and made a not just good but great movie.

After watching the trailer I expected cheesiness that worked and which would make me laugh. I was right about both the cheesiness and the laughter. What I however didn't expect was that the cheesiness only felt mildly cheesy and never got close to being too much (unlike most romantic comedies nowadays). The laughter was accompanied by a huge goofy smile on my face almost the whole movie through, only interrupted by the more thrilling scenes which I somehow also got caught by.

Another thing that snuck up on me was the feels; oh, so many of them. This is a fucking romantic zombie comedy; and it moved me?!?! I didn't see that coming - but I liked it. (Yes, I'm a sucker for a good romantic flick; just look at my review of the gooey and romantic Safe Haven (2013): https://goo.gl/UDLZM)

Warm Bodies made me smile, made me laugh, and even made me feel. Warm Bodies is greatness of a kind that we rarely see and a movie I highly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-05-17)

V for Vendetta (2005)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:18:18 +0000

Absolutely Spectacular - Review of V for Vendetta
Following getting disappointed by Cloud Atlas (2012)(my review: https://goo.gl/7Yh1y) I chose to rewatch a different Wachowski movie, V for Vendetta (2005); a movie I consider to be one of the best movies of all time.

V for Vendetta is a movie which captivates me on many different levels, both intellectually and emotionally. It has many different sides and tells a story which, despite being quite frightening, still is relevant concerning the world we currently live it. V for Vendetta fascinates me and I am utterly and completely in love with it.

I could say a whole lot more about V for Vendetta but I won't do so. What I will say is that this is movie I hold very dear and one I can highly recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-03-24)

Unfriended (2014)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:17:42 +0000

Impressive Despite Flaws - Review of Unfriended
A long time I heard about a movie called Cybernatural with a very "hip" method of storytelling, in that the whole movie takes place on a single computer screen, with a group Skype video chat being the main thing telling the story. I've seen several movies (including several short films) with pretty much the exact same way of telling their story - but this one felt worth giving a shot as well. As it turned out, it was.

Cybernatural (2014), more commonly known as Unfriended, is one impressive movie - pretty much entirely because of the way it tells its story. Yes, this way of telling a story have been done many, many times before - but I feel like Unfriended did it better than most, if not all, previous attempts at this new art (yes, perhaps even better than Maisie Williams' Cyberbully (2015), despite that one being a great movie as well - probably even better than Unfriended). I'm not sure there's much story to Unfriended, but the little they had, they truly did something great with. The subtleties make the movie; big time.

Yes, Unfriended has its flaws - plenty of them to say the least (of the "that's not how it works" kind). Small details - like a Facebook photo of two girls being on an automatic "friendship" wall for those two girls, while Facebook still asking "who are this person?" - kind of bugged me. It would have been so easy to fact check these things, with no influence on the movie at all (other than it being slightly more realistic). These kinds of flaws are almost forgivable in usual movies, but when the whole concept of the movie is that it takes place on a computer screen, then I can't really forgive that many technical mistakes. It was like the movie kept whispering "this is not real" to me over and over again.

The flaws of Unfriended were mostly technical and I did very much enjoy the movie. The acting was superb, with every single character feeling real. The movie focused on the individual characters, and who they were, instead of the horror aspect. Or, did I forget to mention that? Unfriended is supposedly a horror movie. I'd rather say that this is a brilliantly disguised thriller. Nothing wrong with horror, but I was simply too intrigued by the movie, and interesting in all the small details, for me to realise that I was supposed to be watching a horror film. Also, not the least bit scary - though that isn't a bad thing; because, damn, this was one very interesting movie - if you paid attention to the details; those were kind of the best part of the movie.

To my surprise, I have quite a lot to say about this movie, so I'll try to wrap it up. Though, before I end this review, I have to mention the score. Scores of horror flicks are usually either tacky, terrible, or both. This time it was a little different - as the score itself was incorporated into the movie's plot - and actually in a way that worked, both in not being out of place and in actually having part in the story, even if only a tiny bit. The way the background music was connected to the movie was that it at first functioned as a tiny insight into the main character as a reflection of her and her mental state (unase, mostly) - and then later on the music (and the way it was included) played a small, though not insignificant, part in the situation's effect on the main character. Overall, the way the score was handled was, frankly put, brilliant (though the same approach wouldn't work for other movies).

Unfriended is a special kind of movie. It has it's flaws, sure, but they are all pretty much just technical stuff, which most people might not even notice. Though, with me noticing the bad smaller details, I also noticed the amazing smaller details and twists; and there sure were a lot of those. I won't go into details, but the people who made (edited?) Unfriended certainly did know something about subtlety - and they used it brilliant. So many good details that, once again, you had to pay close attention to notice at all. I like movies that reward viewers for paying close attention - and Unfriended is actually one of those kinds of movie, despite not looking like it at first.

Okay, I'll stop now. Unfriended was not even the slightest bit of scary, but it was a great thriller with so many interesting aspects that I don't even mind it being promoted as a horror flick. Intriguing movie, great acting, technical flaws, perfect score, and overall an amazing experience. Unfriended is definitely worth a damn.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-08-07)

Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:16:03 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
Tonight my choice of a movie from IMDb's Top 250 fell on one I really should have watched a long time ago - Twelve Monkeys (1995).
I didn't get my hopes up due to previous disappointments concerning highly praised sci-fi movies. This time it was different.

Twelve Monkeys can at first seem a little disorienting and weird, but it still caught my attention. The movie continued to surprise me in a good way and kept me guessing while still giving me enough information for not leaving me in the dark. Throughout the movie I feared it would be concluded with a certain terrible ending which I have hated in other time travel movies, like for instance Deja Vu (2006). Fortunately it didn't end like I had feared, but actually caught me a little by surprise with the way it turned out.

Indeed a pleasant surprise.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-07)

TRON: Legacy (2010)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:15:20 +0000

A few hours ago I watched TRON: Legacy (2010) and despite mixed feelings about the 3D experience, I really enjoyed the movie.

Yesterday I watched the original TRON (1982) to prepare for the movie tonight and even though I didn’t love it, it was still enjoyable (especially Jeff Bridges’s performance). So when I today went and watched the sequel, several smaller aspects gave a little extra because I had the original fresh in my mind.

The story wasn't mind-blowing but it was decent, consistent, and provided the necessary suspense. The characters (and acting) on the other hand were excellent making the situations and interactions very believable. For this reason, one of my favorite scenes was actually a simple dinner conversation between Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), and Quorra (Olivia Wilde) which depicted so much more than the words exchanged.

To stay with the extremely good aspects of the movie, the whole “system structure” and “society" were actually quite interesting and very well made. At no point did I find the events in the TRON world weird or inexplicable, which I actually had expected at least a few to be.

Now to one of the main aspects the movie have been promoted through: The action. I really enjoyed all action sequences, whereof several were extremely clever made giving some fun twists in fast and exiting action scenes. But I’m not sure if the 3D helped enhance the experience.

During the movie I wished that I could watch it in 2D instead of 3D (using polarized 3D glasses). At several points I found the picture blurry and disorientating. Not sure why but the two movies I have watched in 3D (Avatar and this) where both somewhat disorientating in curtain scenes, making me wish that I had watched them in normal 2D instead. So I’m not at all a fan of 3D and when I can avoid it, I choose to do so.

Overall I really enjoyed the movie, with the characters and "society” being the parts I found the most entertaining and interesting. I can highly recommend watching it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2010-12-15)

Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:13:37 +0000

Better Each Time - Review of Tomorrow, When the War Began
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) is an Australian war adventure film which I knew almost nothing about the first time I watched it. Back then I quite enjoyed it but not more than so many other movies. There were however something about the movie which made me go back and watch it again not long after my first viewing.

The second time around I liked it even more than the first time - and when I not too long after that watched it for the third time, I liked it even more. The movie just kept getting better each time I watched it.

Now I've just finished watching Tomorrow, When the War Began for the fourth time and I have to say that this time I completely fell in love with it. The movie was everything good I remembered and more. It was thrilling, captivating, moving, and overall simply great. Yes, it took me watching it four times before I got around to reviewing it - but I actually watched a movie four times which is rare phenomenon in this universe, so there is certainly something special about this movie.

Tomorrow, When the War Began is a movie which passes most people by unnoticed but it is still a movie I have a special fondness for. It is a movie I can watch multiple times and which I enjoy more each time. It is certainly not a movie for everyone but for me it is just right.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-08-14)

This Is 40 (2012)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:12:50 +0000

A Great, Solid Comedy - Review of This Is 40
Watching a sequel to a movie you love is always a little frightening. You not so much fear that it won't be as good as the predecessor (since it very rarely is) but more that is so bad that it'll shine a bad light on a movie you love. Well, This Is 40 (2012) did not only not suck but was actually several kinds of great.

I very quickly forgot that This Is 40 was a sequel to Knocked Up (2007) since it utterly and completely is its own movie. Right off the bat the movie caught me with its heartfelt story, good humor, and great acting. My hats off to Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, and also Maude Apatow, who despite only having been part of three movies (all Judd Apatow comedies) was frickin' great.

This Is 40 is a solid, solid comedy which stands out from the sea of pointless mediocre comedies out there. This Is 40 is certainly a movie I can recommend. If only more comedies had this much heart, this well-written characters, and this much genuine humor.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-03-17)

Thinspiration (2014)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:11:55 +0000

Raw and Disturbing - Review of Thinspiration
While browsing Netflix this evening, looking for a movie to watch, I noticed the new movie Thinspiration (2014) about anorexia and I thought I'd give it a shot.

Thinspiration starts out as expected with all the usual elements and characters for a TV-movie about a series topic. However, at some point I began to notice something quite different about this movie - it was scaring me. The characters felt more and more real; the main theme made me think more and more; and the way the movie portrayed the physiological development of the main character was done in way both fitting and surprisingly effective.

This is a movie both relevant and powerful. It is not amazing, but it does a great job at telling its story in a raw and honest way that ended up making me both think and feel. A good and unfortunately relevant movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-12-22)

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 14:11:13 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
The fourth day of the week and the fourth movie chosen from IMDb's Top 250, which I hadn't watched before. Tonight Alex and I watched There Will Be Blood (2007) and I have to say that of the four "Top 250" movies I've watched this week, it was definitely the best.

There Will Be Blood is a rough story told in a very gripping way with characters you get the time to know. The movie is, with its 2½ hours, one of the longer, but it didn't bother me since I was so caught up in the story and the characters.

If you have the time, don't let this movie pass you by. It is one to remember.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-08)

The Hunger Games (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 17:05:41 +0000

A Decent Movie - Review of The Hunger Games
There has during the past year been quite a lot of buzz about The Hunger Games (2012) and I've now finally gotten around to watching it. So what do I think? Well, it's not bad.

A little to my own surprise I have not really a lot to say about The Hunger Games. It is a decent movie - but that's about it. It has its entertaining, thrilling, and interesting moments but it just never becomes anything more than acceptable. I don't really have much more than that to say about it.

Not great but enjoyable, like so many other decent movies.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-08-05)

One Chance (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 17:05:05 +0000

Heartfelt and Enjoyable - Review of One Chance
I first heard about One Chance (2013) on The Graham Norton Show and since it had James Corden in the lead I decided to give it a go. I am very glad I did.

One Chance is a lovely story with several genuinely amazing moments. Shit, at one point I was stunned in awe with a tear rolling down my cheek. Yes, it is that good... at times. For the rest of the movie it is a good, solid movie. Overall, Once Chance is a great movie, definitely worth your time.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-03-21)

The Tree of Life (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 17:03:42 +0000

When The Tree of Life (2011) won the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d'Or/Golden Palm, I expected it to be something original and amazing. These expectations got even higher after I watched the Palme d'Or nominated Drive (2011) and loved it.

I was really in for a surprise. The Tree of Life was nowhere near as good as I had expected.

At the very beginning of The Tree of Life I was completely caught. The first few scenes were amazing and everything seemed to indicate that this was going to be a great movie. Unfortunately this feeling of amazement didn’t last very long. To be specific, it lasted until the first scene with Sean Penn. Actually throughout the rest of the movie I felt that all the scenes with Sean Penn didn’t bring anything to the story, and just were confusing. Don’t get me wrong, his acting was great but I feel the same way about Sean Penn’s scenes and he does:

Sean Penn: "Frankly, I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing there and what I was supposed to add in that context!"

To be fair to Sean Penn his scenes were far from the only ones I felt didn’t fit in. Throughout the movie there were also a few cosmos sequences (one being very long and included dinosaurs), several abstract scenes (floating woman, chair moving on its own, etc.), and the weird ending, which I feel all should have been left out.

Overall The Tree of Life had a good main story which could have made for a great movie. I actually think just by editing the movie by cutting out the weird and abstract scenes, the movie could be greatly improved. I know many will say that without these scenes the movie would just be a conventional good drama. With them however, the movie is not even a decent movie, but just weird and artsy. It tries to teach me something, but as with most abstract art, I really have no fucking idea what.

So what began amazing, quickly turned weird, and ended even weirder. In between there was told a good story, which had been turned into an unsuccessful attempt at an epic piece of art. It all just seemed very unnecessary and done just to be unconventional. I can’t recommend the current version of The Tree of Life, but since the director has already been talking about a six-hour version I expect other versions will become available in the future. Wait and see if they perhaps are worth a damn.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-09-19)

The Three Musketeers (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:57:19 +0000

Not as Terrible as Expected - Review of The Three Musketeers
After all the terrible things I'd heard about The Three Musketeers (2011), I went in expecting the worst and it didn't start out very well either. Cliche dialogue, weird CGI looking effects, and one-dimensional characters. But then again, I guess one really should not expect more from movies like this.

I must say that further into the movie I began enjoying it a little more. Some of the fight scenes were actually not half bad, despite them looking a lot like something done better in the great Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The dialogue didn't really improve throughout the movie, but there were the comic relief scenes with the always funny James Corden (Doctor Who's Craig Owens). And for something pretty to look at (when not being annoyed by the half-assed attempt at incorporating steampunk into the movie) there were the lovely Gabriella Wilde (as Constance).

I'll not say that this in any way is a great movie, but to my surprise it was actually acceptable. I'll however still give the advice: skip it and instead watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies or perhaps The Princess Bride (1987) if you prefer the more fairy tale-like stuff. There you'll actually get full movie experiences with everything The Three Musketeers was missing.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-07)

The Thing (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:56:44 +0000

Complete Indifference - Review of The Thing (2011)
The word to best describe my feelings about the horror flick The Thing (2011) is probably meh. The movie did nothing for me at all. I wasn't scared, I wasn't interested, I wasn't intrigued, I wasn't moved, I wasn't impressed; I just didn't care at all.

Back when I more than a year ago watched the original The Thing from 1982, I called it "pure crap". I felt it was a stupid and uninteresting movie. Despite this I still gave the 2011 prequel a chance, but having a few more international actors and some more (but still ugly) CGI didn't save the movie at all. I really have nothing more to say; I felt nothing for the movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-12-01)

The Shining (1980)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:55:52 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
Like yesterday, I spend this evening watching yet another movie from IMDb's Top 250 which I haven't watched before. Tonight it was finally time for me to watch The Shining (1980) and I have to say that I'm actually disappointed.

Don't get me wrong; it is a good movie. Just not as good as I had expected. And it is not that difficult for me to pinpoint the aspect I felt ruined the movie. The excessive score/music/suspense sounds.
The score itself isn't too bad, but it is used almost continuously throughout the whole movie. In every single potentially scary or gripping scene the over-dramatic score was right there to take all the horror and suspense out of the scene. It was like the movie was relying on the score for creating suspense, which I really felt did exactly the opposite. It pretty much ruined the movie for me.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-06)

The Princess Bride (1987)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:55:08 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
Once in a while when I want to watch a great, older movie, I go to IMDb's Top 250 and chose one I haven't watched yet.
This time around the choice fell on The Princess Bride (1987) which according to IMDb is described as:

A classic fairy tale, with swordplay, giants, an evil prince, a beautiful princess, and yes, some kissing (as read by a kindly grandfather).

This describes the movie extremely well. Right from the beginning the movie brought a smile to my face, and then took me on a magical, funny, and amazing journey. It is indeed a great movie, but I still don't think it deserves to be on IMDb's top 250 (#195).

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-05)

The Oranges (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:54:17 +0000

Delightful and Entertaining - Review of The Oranges
I ended this Sunday evening with the romantic comedy The Oranges (2011). And what a delightful way of ending the weekend.

I chose to give The Oranges a shot because of its cast with, among others, Hugh Laurie, Alia Shawkat, and Leighton Meester. I knew it couldn't be all bad and it certainly wasn't. The movie put a smile on my face and made me laugh out aloud numerous times (a few giggles too, if I have to be honest).

The Oranges has some drama, some romance, but mostly a whole lot of good solid comedy. It is not too complicated and not silly either. It is just right.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-05-26)

The Normal Heart (2014)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:53:19 +0000

Powerful - Review of The Normal Heart
I hadn't heard about the movie The Normal Heart (2014) before the Primetime Emmy awards a week ago. It sounded like I was missing out on something great, so I gave it a shot. I'm very glad I did.

The Normal Heart is a powerful movie. It is captivating, interesting, and emotional. It tells a honest and heartbreaking story about a subject still relevant today - HIV/AIDS and the prejudices against gay individuals, which literally is resulting in their deaths. The movie pulls no punches and is very honest in its way of telling its harsh story.

This is a movie which manages to relevant, interesting, and moving, all at the same time. A powerful tale, told in a great way. The Normal Heart is definitely a movie I highly encourage you to give a shot.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-08-31)

The Internship (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:52:43 +0000

50 % Bullshit, 50 % Enjoyable - Review of The Internship
I was hesitant about watching The Internship (2013) because I've grown tired of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson and also because I love Google and was afraid of how Google would be portrayed. As it turns out, I was right; Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were more annoying than ever and Google was presented in a weird light, though only partly and it got better throughout the movie.

Less than 20 minutes into the movie I actually stopped it because I couldn't take more of the enormous amounts of bullshit spewing from the mouths of the two main characters. It was annoying, awkward, and painful to watch. This is not what I consider comedy.

Luckily The Internship had enough decent story and great supporting characters beside the two main characters to actually be enjoyable. It however took almost half of the movie for it to begin to be a decent movie - and even then the two main character still annoyed the hell out of me. The other characters were actually so great and such a main part in the story that I'm pretty sure most of the good parts of the movie wouldn't have been much different if you cut the two main characters. This might be a bit harsh but I liked the rest of the movie so much that my annoyance of the two main characters kind of turned into a small flicker of hatred. Sorry, but I simply felt they were THAT bad.

Of the other characters I was especially captivated by Neha Patel (portrayed by Tiya Sircar) and Stuart Twombly (portrayed by Dylan O'Brien) and judging from the fact that there's already fanfics about these two characters I know I'm not alone here. In general many of supporting characters were so well-written that their stories and character development throughout the movie made the movie not only bearable but actually enjoyable.

Overall I liked The Internship but absolutely in spite of the two main characters. I felt less indifferent towards the movie than I had expected; what I expected to be bad was worse and what I expected to be okay was good. I'm glad I gave it a shot after all.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-10-13)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:51:58 +0000

Interesting, But Not More - Review of Mockingjay Part 1
The Hunger Games (2012) was a decent movie (https://goo.gl/5LFLsf), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) was a significant improvement (https://goo.gl/QSkS7x), and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) was an interesting movie, though not much more than that.

Part 1 of Mockingjay is different from the first two movies in many ways - though then again, so was Cathing Fire in comparison to the first movie. As a movie, Mockingjay is quite good - though I wouldn't say that it was better than Catching Fire. There are introduced a lot of very interesting ideas, storylines, and concepts, which I have to say were the parts of the movie that I enjoyed the most. This is a movie right on the border between a good concept/script and good execution of that concept/script. Without one, the other would have been acceptable, but not much more. This movie achieves both - but does not go above and beyond in any capacity in doing so.

Fortunately, Mockingjay manages to live up to its script and tell its story in a good way. Unfortunately, Mockingjay doesn't do much more than simply tell a good story in a good way. The movie doesn't excel on any level beyond telling its story in a honorable way. Everything it does well it only does slightly above average. I'm not disappointed - quite on the contrary; this movie was far better than I expected, which again doesn't say a whole damn lot.

Overall: great concept, interesting story, honorable execution, and still somehow felt flat to me.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-02-20)

The Host (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:48:45 +0000

Not Twilight - Review of The Host
When I first heard that another of Stephenie Meyer's books were getting made into a movie I honestly couldn't care less after atrocity that I consider the first Twilight movie to be (I haven't watched the sequels for obvious reasons). However, I did find the concept of a "peaceful" alien invasion (from the aliens' point of view) very interesting and the main character was played by Saoirse Ronan, who I previously liked in City of Ember (2008), The Way Back (2010), and Hanna (2011), so I thought The Host (2013) was worth giving a shot.

As it turned out, The Host was not a bad movie. It had some great parts, some amusing parts (which may or may not have been amusing on purpose), and one or two somewhat emotionally effective moments. Unfortunately, it did also have its fair share of just plain bad parts which damaged the movie overall.

The Host is the kind of movie that I feel gets worse the more you think about it, but which I enjoyed while watching it. Take that in any way you want.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-06-26)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:47:48 +0000

Not Quite LOTR Good - Review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Some years ago my family and I went to watch the Lord of the Rings movies three years in a row in the Christmas holiday. This year another Tolkien movie is out, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), so of course my mother and I went and watched it. I have to admit I'm a little disappointed.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a good movie. A great movie, in fact. However (yes, there just had to be a "however"), it is not as good as any of the Lord of the Rings movies. This is perhaps a high standard to hold The Hobbit up to - but I think it is fair. The Hobbit had a whole damn lot of potential which it for far most part fulfilled perfectly. Unfortunately this wasn't the case for every aspect of the movie and the few problems I have with it prevented it from being as great as the LOTR movies.

The issues I have with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey mainly have to do with its shifts between dark, serious, and thrilling scenes to silly scenes, presenting serious situations in a not at all serious light. Humor is good and Lord of the Rings had it in the right places with the right framework; The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey doesn't.

Far most of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey completely captivated me and it didn't feel long to me at all. It was perfectly paced and almost every expect of it worked extremely well. That is except for the "children's fairy tale" aspects which I felt didn't belong in an otherwise quite dark movie. It felt like it was made half for children and half for adults but in a way that makes it too scary and violent for children while at the same time also having too many silly aspects appealing to the younger audience for adults to completely fall in love with the movie.

I very much liked the movie but I'm still hoping that the next two movies are going to get darker and leave some of the kid-friendly stuff behind. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a great movie but disappointingly not as great as Lord of the Rings.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-12-25)

The Help (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:47:13 +0000

Great, with a Side of Amazing - Review of The Help
Back when I first heard about The Help (2011), I felt it would one of those typical inspiring stories which, while worth watching, wouldn't be anywhere near amazing. I was somewhat wrong.

While The Help isn't an amazing movie, it is still not far from it. It tells its inspiring story in a very good way, which makes for a great movie. It is not difficult to see that it is the story, and not the other aspects of the movie, which makes the movie great. The acting and atmosphere of the movie are however in no way bad, but at the same time not amazing either. There are created a good solid framework for telling the story, and this is really everything you can hope for with this type of movie.

In addition to the inspiring story, The Help actually has more to offer. During the movie there is also being told a small side story revolving around the character Celia Foote (played by Jessica Chastain). To my surprise I was completely caught by this side story, and found it amazing in an otherwise not-quite-amazing movie. The side story moved me a lot, and it made sure that the movie wasn't just the inspiring story I had expected, but also contained a more personal emotional tale.

Overall The Help is not an amazing movie. It tells an amazing story, and is great in doing so. The racism aspects of it, are very likely still relevant today, even though they aren't as prominent in our society today.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-17)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:46:03 +0000

High Hopes Fulfilled - Review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I'm sitting in my dorm kitchen with my laptop and a beer, after just arriving home after watching The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). I loved the original (the whole trilogy) and my hopes were high for the remake. I was a little afraid I wouldn't like it as much as the original, but I still felt a certain confidence that if anyone could manage to make the remake work, it would be David Fincher. And he certainly did.

At first I had a hard time not comparing every single moment of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with the original, and this dampened my enjoyment of the movie a little bit while at the same time hindered me from getting completely caught by it. However, after a little while I manged to stop watching it in the light of the original, and then the movie really began to captivate me.

The two of the aspects of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which managed to impress me the most were the scenography and the score. Both were among the best I've ever seen/heard, and together they created many spectacular, emotional, and beautiful scenes. This is however exactly what I nowadays expect from a Fincher-movie. But the part of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I was most afraid couldn't match the high level of the original was the portrayal Lisbeth Salander, which was done to perfection in the original by Noomi Rapace. I'll however say that through several subtle but significant changes to the character, Rooney Mara managed to be a quite amazing Lisbeth Salander which I certainly wasn't disappointed by.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is definitely an amazing, captivating movie. It differs from the original on several levels, so to determine if it is superior or inferior to the original Män som hatar kvinnor (2009) is not something I think I can do. They are both amazing movies in their own way, but if I had to choose, my choice would fall on the remake and this would, without a doubt, be because of David Fincher.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-12-29)

The Final Girls (2015)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:45:14 +0000

Fucking Awesome - Review of The Final Girls
This evening I watched The Final Girls (2015) - one of those movies I years ago knew I wanted to watch, when it still was in early production stages, but which I still didn't manage to avoid spoilers (aka. trailers) for. Here's the thing though - the spoilers only managed to harm the first 20-ish minutes of the movie, and didn't stop the beginning of the movie from impressing the shit out of me. And as for the rest of the movie? I loved it even more.

The Final Girls is a kind of comedy horror flick turned upside-down in the best way possible. I urge you to avoid any kind of trailers or teasers or reviews (like this one) about the movie in order to fully enjoy it (advice I give about every single movie you've already decided you want to watch). This movie is a perfect storm of meta horror comedy flick goodness. Not perfect - but damn close.

It's like The Cabin in the Woods (2012) meets Last Action Hero (1993) meets a clever story with heart. It is weird. It is entertaining. It is moving. It is (almost) scary. And it is very much a breath of fresh air in an otherwise creatively exhausted genre - the horror comedy. The characters, even the ones supposed to be stereotypical and fake, all feel real, interesting, fitting for the story, and with a lot more depth than one would ever expect from any horror comedy. Not only is the movie self-aware about what kind of movie it is - it actually uses this awareness to its benefit. The premise works and - almost even better - the premise is not overused.

I don't even mind using the comparison again - The Final Girls is like a more humor-focused The Cabin in the Woods, with a (way) different twist that isn't really a twist (again, in the same way as The Cabin in the Woods). It's meta. It's self aware. It's fucking awesome! Also, I don't recall The Cabin in the Woods making me tear up - but The Final Girls definitely managed to do so.

The Final Girls is entertaining, interesting, captivating, and moving. It didn't manage to add "scary" to the list - but, heck, you can't really have it all. I loved the movie and can highly recommend it - especially to people who love meta movies or horror comedies or just good movies in general. Because this is one damn great movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-10-09)

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:44:30 +0000

Very Silly and Extremely Entertaining - Review of The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
I actually thought I already had reviewed Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec / The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010) - but apparently not. So here it goes:

This movie this something extraordinary (as the titles also indicates). It has a few similarities with the American Mummy movies, but is far (FAR!) better (they're not even close to competing on the same level). The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec is a very silly movie for the most part but it somehow manages to have its serious parts be very moving and captivating while a lot of silliness is going on at the same time. It is all in all completely hilarious, interesting, entertaining, and intriguing. No, it is not an amazing movie - but it is far better than any other movie trying accomplish the same sort of atmosphere or mood, and it should be applaud for that.

Watch this movie with a few friends while drinking and you'll have a hell of a time. The dialogue is snappy so if you speak French you'll probably enjoy it even more but subtitles work just fine too (just don't watch a dubbed version). This is one of the "not too serious" comedies which I can recommend the highest. It is extremely entertaining and charming in its own special kind of way. A movie you really should give shot.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-08-31)

The Divide (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:43:15 +0000

Partly Impressive, Partly Acceptable - Review of The Divide
When I first heard about the horror, sci-fi thriller The Divide (2011)(http://imdb.com/title/tt1535616) it seemed like just another movie about people coping with being stuck in a small space (a bomb shelter-like basement) for a long time. I'd seen plenty of such movies, but I still gave The Divide a shot and I'm glad I did.

To be honest, the two scenes I liked most in the movie were the opening scene and the end scene. In between were a lot of the stuff I had expected but still with more than a few surprises. The movie had caught me from the very beginning, but it had some problems keeping me interested and intrigued for the full two hours. Despite this, The Divide is one of the better movies of its type.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-03-27)

The Descendants (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:42:33 +0000

Smiles and Tears - Review of The Descendants
Among the many high profile movies around these days there is a truly great movie which probably is being overlooked by many - The Descendants (2011).

When I first heard about The Descendants I didn't think twice about it. It seemed like another of the many semi-interesting dramas. But then I watched the trailer (http://youtu.be/js6WTGS8TYM) and from there I was completely caught and very exited about the movie. That The Descendants then won a Golden Globe for best drama, absolutely didn't lower my expectations.

With high expectations often come disappointment. Not this time. The Descendants and its special charm delivered. I was from the very beginning caught and moved by both the story and the characters. It's no wonder that Shailene Woodley got a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actress and that George Clooney won for best actor in a drama.

The Descendants managed to do something which only few dramas has managed before it. It managed to bring a tear to my eye while at the same time making me smile. That special feeling only some of the best movies are able to make you feel. And when a movie is able bring a tear to your eye, then make you get that special feeling in your stomach which makes you smile, and then makes you feel both at the same time, you know the movie is something special. The Descendants is that movie. A movie worth noticing.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-19)

The Best Offer (La migliore offerta)(2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:40:38 +0000

A Work of Art - Review of The Best Offer
The last movie on my to-watch list from 2013 that actually was released in 2013 was The Best Offer (La migliore offerta) and today I finally got around to watching it. Damn! Why is it that I waited with the best movie from 2013 to watch last? Because The Best Offer is the very best.

When I today noticed The Best Offer on my to-watch list I had no idea what it was and how it ended up on my list; and even after watching it I still don't remember ever hearing about it before. Nonetheless I am very glad this movie crossed my path because it is damn close to a masterpiece. It has beautiful aesthetics, thrilling suspense, endless wonder, and a story which kept me glued to screen the whole movie through while the world around me disappeared. I completely fell in love with this movie.

The Best Offer is a movie with superb acting, writing, and storytelling. It is a movie that planted itself in my head and stayed there after the movie finished. A movie I strongly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-03-16)

The Avengers (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:39:40 +0000

The Ultimate Action Flick - Review of The Avengers
I'll keep this review short since I generally feel action flicks fall into three categories: good, bad, and so bad it's good.
The Avengers (2012) is good; very, very good.

With so many different main characters from other movies coming together it can be difficult to maintain a good focus, but The Avengers managed to switch between characters in an excellent way. Every single character were pretty much written to perfection with even Bruce Banner/The Hulk being surprisingly amazing.

High tempo, good story, snappy and witty dialogue, excellent characters, and amazing action scenes. It was everything I had hoped for and more. It was the ultimate action flick.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-30)

The Artist (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:39:05 +0000

I'm Impressed - Review of The Artist
I have to admit that when I first heard about The Artist (2011) I thought it sounded very pretentious. It is, after all, a French produced, black and white, silent movie with a 4:3 aspect ratio, made in 2011. My perception of the movie was however quickly changed and I really got my hopes up while still being somewhat skeptical concerning if the movie could live up to the buzz. As it turned out, it could.

Already from the beginning of The Artist I got caught by its charm. It put a smile on my face and I began to expect that it would be a delightful and entertaining movie without anything really serious or emotional. Once again, I was wrong. Besides The Artist starting out very light and playful, it later on also get serious and emotional - both in immensely impressive ways. I had absoutely not expected a movie like this to bring a tear to my eye, but it actually managed to do so more than once.

The Artist is a special kind of movie - but if you're able to give it a chance you might just end up loving it. I did.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-02)

Temple Grandin (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:38:19 +0000

Captivating and Moving - Review of Temple Grandin
I had put off watching Temple Grandin (2010) for years but this evening I finally decided to give it a go. I never expected the movie to be as brilliant as it turned out to be.

The story of Temple Grandin is an inspiring and interesting one and this movie certainly managed to make it both captivating and moving. At first I was afraid it would be another movie where I throughout the movie had to feel secondhand embarrassment which I've felt for some other movies about mentally different people; however, that was not the case at all. Everything was done just right.

I have to mention Claire Danes who was simply brilliant as Temple Grandin - a role which she won a Golden Globe for. Claire Danes' portrayal of a character with a bipolar disorder in Homeland and an autistic character in Temple Grandin have given me the utmost respect for her as an actress.

Temple Grandin is interesting, captivating, inspiring, and moving. It is the movie I did not dare to hope for. Amazing.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-09-15)

Take Shelter (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:37:31 +0000

Immensely Powerful - Review of Take Shelter
I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I began watching Take Shelter (2011), so I was really in for a big surprise; and a pleasant one for that matter.

Take Shelter caught my interest from the very beginning. It however still took a little more time before I got completely captivated by it, but when this happened I was very much engrossed in the movie. I ended getting far more moved and stunned by it than I in any way had expected or even hoped for. During several scenes, the movie was so immensely powerful that I very simply was breathless. Just thinking back at these scenes now, gives me goosebumps.

The aspect of Take Shelter which I think deserves most of the credit for making the movie so very powerful is the absolutely amazing acting by Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. I'm at a complete loss for words attempting to describe how great they both were. They gave the movie the power which very few movies get even close to.

A truly exceptional movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-12)

Sunshine on Leith (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:36:54 +0000

Musical Gold - Review of Sunshine on Leith
I wasn't sure which kind of musical Sunshine on Leith (2013) was but it looked fine so I gave it a shot. After a minutes I realized THIS IS A THE PROCLAIMERS MUSICAL! I was completely sold and very happy.

I sung along, I laughed, and I even shed a few tears of happiness. Sunshine on Leith was a truly delightful experience. I think what I tweeted during the final scene of the movie says it all:

THE PROCLAIMERS ARE GODS!!!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-02-22)

Sucker Punch (extended)(2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:36:18 +0000

The Extended Sucker Punch
When I half a year ago watched Sucker Punch (2011) in the cinema, I liked it but not as much as I had hoped. Back then I predicted that I would like it even more the second time around; so tonight I watched Sucker Punch for the second time, and chose to watch the extended edition with its 17 extra minutes. As predicted, I liked it more than the first time, both due to me knowing what the story actually was about, but perhaps more due to it being the extended edition.

Everything I said about Sucker Punch in my original review, still holds true. In addition I felt that the emotion got far more through to me, especially in the beginning. The instances where a little extra time were given to some of the more quiet scenes, really made the emotions shine through. This didn't work quite as well in the original version, so I'm really glad I watched the extended edition.

During the movie I found myself noticing far more of the smaller details, which I didn't catch the first time around. Some of these details were quite impressive, like a scene where two characters' reflections in a mirror do not completely match what is going on. It is like another reality is leaking out through the mirror. I found this quite mesmerizing and interesting.

While I like Sucker Punch, it still has a few issues. It got some serious potential which it never really seems to fully utilize. It could have benefited a lot from having an even darker theme and atmosphere to it, but instead it a few too any times leaves me feeling indifferent. I think the movie itself is far from bad, but it still somehow disappoints me due to untapped potential. If you're willing to give it a chance, you should consider watching the extended edition, since it slightly improves the overall experience.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-06)

Sucker Punch (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:35:30 +0000

I’ll start by admitting that I wanted to like Sucker Punch (2011) and had quite high expectations for it. And guess what: I liked it, but unfortunately not as much as I had hoped.

It is important to know that Sucker Punch isn’t a movie for everyone. If you don’t like the visual feel of the promotional art (and trailers) along with hardcore PG13 gaming-style action, you probably won’t like this movie. But it was exactly the visual feel of the promotional art that intrigued me and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed by that part of the movie. Sucker Punch was visually astonishing which combined with the stylish choreographed video game-like action created something visually spectacular.

Despite the action being a large part of what Sucker Punch has to offer it isn’t all. The hardcore fantasy/sci-fi action happens in smaller “dream”/“imagination” sequences which have clear parallels to Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)(my favorite movie btw), Alice in Wonderland (it even included Jefferson Airplane's song “White Rabbit” performed by Emilíana Torrini), and The Wizard of Oz. Between these awesome “dream” sequences (which could have been almost independent short films) there is a story which unfortunately took a little while to catch me, but nonetheless had my complete attention by the end. An end which I felt closed the movie in a very good way.

Even with main story of Sucker Punch being somewhat weak and a few characters being portrayed very one-dimensional (Blondie and Amber), I still think it overall is a great movie. Emily Browning does a great job as Baby Doll, Abbie Cornish is brilliant as Sweet Pea, and the villain Blue (played by Oscar Isaac) fits into the story extremely well. In addition did the several smaller appearances of Scott Glenn as the “wise man” give a very good video game-feel with his smaller briefings before each mission.

In conclusion I think Sucker Punch was an entertaining experience and I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy it even more the 2nd time around, because I’ll know what the main story really is about.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-04-15)

Stoker (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:34:16 +0000

Spectacularly Intense - Review of Stoker
When I first came across Stoker (2013) it looked like an interesting and out-of-the-ordinary movie. I made the mistake of suspecting that it would be a great horror movie - but as it turned out, Stoker is a thriller and an amazing one of that.

Stoker is different - very different - from any movie I've ever watched. I didn't quite get it at first but little by little the movie began to take a firm hold of me until it had me completely glued to the screen. I don't think movie had changed from how it was in the beginning, but I had changed and I felt every ounce of quiet intensity in a very real way.

Mia Wasikowska was phenomenal as the main character. She gave her character all the right kinds of oddness that intrigued and captivated me - as well as made me wonder. Surely the right fit for the role.

It is not easy to describe Stoker and I am sure a fair amount of people who watch it will hate it. I however loved it and I'm sure Stoker will be one of the rare movies I rewatch a short time after the first viewing. It is a quietly intense, beautifully shot, marvelously intriguing thriller which I very highly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-06-05)

Stand Up Guys (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:33:30 +0000

Enjoyable and Heartfelt - Review of Stand Up Guys
Stand Up Guys (2012) is a simple movie so I'll keep this review simple as well. The movie has its own special charm to it which only great actors like Al Pacino and Christopher Walken can bring to a movie. It made me smile; it made me laugh; and, to my surprise, it even made me shed a single tear.

Stand Up Guys is a good, simple, solid movie. Watch it!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-04-21)

Spring Breakers (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:32:38 +0000

Surprisingly Different and Unexpected - Review Spring Breakers
Spring Breakers (2012) was advertised with sex (lots of it), parties, drugs, and a gansta James Franco - and it did also contain all of these things, just not in the way I had expected; not even close.

If you search for photos of Spring Breakers you'll find photos of four seeming very young girl in very little clothing (the actresses range from 20 to 27 years of age). Because of this I have to admit that I expected the four main characters to be very similar and possible even borderline one-dimensional. This was not the case - at least not completely. Selena Gomez's character surprised me the most and was without a doubt also the best written of the four. The others weren't bad either - but I felt they at times were a bit too identical.

Spring Breakers is not a happy, wild joyride of a party movie - not by a long shot. It is gritty, different, peculiar, and, frankly, quite an experience. Spring Breakers is not what it seems and this will disappoint some people but I, for one, was pleasantly surprised.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-06-26)

Speak (2004)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:32:02 +0000

Genuine and Moving - Review of Speak
Years before I ever heard of Twilight, I stumbled upon the movie Speak (2004) with Kristen Stewart in the lead, who I at the time had never heard of. This small movie, which I didn't know what to expect from, turned out to be one that would stick with me for years, and after rewatching it today, I wanted to share how I feel about it.

Speak has a simple and moving story, which is told in a very heartfelt way. The characters are interesting and their development throughout the movie is one of the truly great parts that makes the movie stand out as something special. The movie didn't just tell me a story, it made me feel it, in a simple and suiting way. Speak is still to this day one of the best movies of its kind.

When a lot of people hear the name Kristen Stewart the first movie they think of is the godawful Twilight, which I think is a real shame since Speak is such an unappreciated piece of greatness. Speak is definitely a movie I highly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-08-17)

Space Milkshake (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:31:11 +0000

Priceless - Review of Space Milkshake
From the very moment I watched Space Milkshake Movie Trailer I have been looking forward to watching Space Milkshake (2012). Tonight became the night where it finally happened. Wow; just wow.

Space Milkshake is surprisingly captivating. It is absolutely hilarious with its own peculiar kind of humor; but in addition to being entertaining it is also intriguing and overall a great experience.

This is the kind of movie that I now regret not writing down my rambling stream of consciousness while watching - because that would have been perfect. For fuck sake, the name of the space station sounds like "Vagina", the villain is a rubber duck, and the robot's serial port is in her vagina. How in the world did I watch this without writing down my commentary? At one point I even verbally spewed out the words "this is the best sci-fi movie since Alien" (not true, but live-commentary-worthy).

I think it is obvious how magnificent a movie Space Milkshake is. Heck, it is a just plain stupid movie; stupidly amazing movie, that is. Watch it! (And preferably not while being sober; no, absolutely not while being sober.)

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-04-13)

Sound of My Voice (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:30:31 +0000

Captivating and Interesting - Review of Sound of My Voice
When I first heard about Sound of My Voice (2011) it piqued my interest and I looked forward to it with high hopes. I feared a little that it wouldn't live up to my expectations, but as it turned it luckily did.

Sound of My Voice is an extremely interesting and captivating movie, which reminded me a little of the excellent Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)(my review: goo.gl/o83BN ). Sound of My Voice creates an interesting atmosphere in a very captivating way, with many very powerful scenes. The movie poses many questions which most of stuck with me afterwards and it generally holds a large amount of uncertainty which I found quite intriguing.

Sound of My Voice is overall a great movie which I can highly recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-09-22)

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:29:47 +0000

Captivating and Heartfelt - Review of Silver Linings Playbook
Let me try this again after abandoning my first attempt at a review of Silver Linings Playbook (2012) since I didn't know how to express how I felt about it.

Silver Linings Playbook is a movie which I had gotten my hopes up for, partly because of its 8 Oscar nominations of which Jennifer Lawrence won for best performance by an actress in a leading role. The main two things I expected from Silver Linings Playbook were for it to have some amazing acting and for me to be very moved by it. Both were indeed very much the case. Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Jacki Weaver were all nominated for Oscars for their parts in Silver Linings Playbook and I can certainly see why. They are all absolutely amazing and the depth they brought to their characters was really what made the movie so immensely captivating and moving.

Silver Linings Playbook is heartfelt in a very beautiful way. Its characters are intriguingly well-written and portrayed to the same degree of excellence. This was the movie I had dared to hope for and one I can highly recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-03-31)

Silent Hill (2006)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:29:03 +0000

Fucking Terrible - Review of Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
I hated the first movie, Silent Hill (2006), and I knew that the sequel probably would be even worse; hell, it even has "3D" in the official title. I, however, never expected to this fucking plain out terrible.

Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (2012) is a horror movie without anything even close to the resemblance of horror. The most scary thing about the movie is that it got made in the first place. The gore is dull as fuck and every attempt at something scary is laughably ineffective. Even though the whole movie feels like it's so-bad-it's-funny, I still wasn't amused.

While watching the movie I felt it could have benefited from some Jodelle Ferland. It even made me want to rewatch the first one because I don't think it really could have been this bad (yes, I'm that much of a masochist).

My advice: Stay away from Silent Hill: Revelation 3D. If you want gore, horror, fantasy, thrills, or just about anything from it, you won't get it. Instead go ahead and watch one of the many other truly awesome horror movies. Hell, here are a few suggestions of non-comedy horror movies that I love:

[Rec] (2007), The Devil's Rejects (2005), Alien (1979), Cloverfield (2008), Carriers (2009), The Final (2010), Wir sind die Nacht (2010), The Cabin in the Woods (2011), Låt den rätte komma in (2008), The Descent (2005), The Last House on the Left (2009), Martyrs (2008), The Uninvited (2009), Stake Land (2010), Halloween (2007), and El orfanato (2007).

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-01-31)

Short Term 12 (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:28:28 +0000

Simply Amazing - Review of Short Term 12
Short Term 12 (2013) is one of those movies on my "I need to watch this" list which I can't exactly remember why or when I added to the list. Despite this I trusted that my initial instinct and watched it as soon as I got the chance - and holy shit I was in for something great.

Short Term 12 is a tough movie. It isn't graphic or extreme but it tells its stories in a heartfelt and gripping way. It had me glued to the screen the whole way through and it made me both laugh and cry.

I don't think I need to say anything else. Short Term 12 is breathtakingly great and I can highly recommend this movie which now is on a very short list of my favorite movies of 2013. Simply amazing.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-01-11)

Shame (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:27:55 +0000

Impressive, Though Disappointing - Review of Shame
I had looked forward to Shame (2011) since I first heard about it, largely due to the Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. So when I began watching it my hopes were high. Unfortunately too high.

Shame is a good movie. The acting is superb and the story is not bad at all either. Despite this, it had some problems captivating me and even though several individual scenes were extremely well done, the movie as a whole felt lacking. It might sound strange, but I found Shame to be impressive while at the same time being disappointing.

On an additional note I have to admit that even though I knew Shame was about a sex addict, I was still surprised by the amount of nudity and explicit sex scenes. Refreshing to see a movie be this bold and honest.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-09)

Secretariat (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:26:56 +0000

After two horror-like movies today I wanted to end the day on a happier note, so I chose to watch Secretariat (2010).
I'm usual not much for horses but in this movie the story was more about the people surrounding the horse, than about the horse itself. The movie caught me pretty early on and then just kept getting better and better. It is a family movie, a genre that I'm usually not very fond of, but it has many strengths which make for a great movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-01)

Saving Face (2004)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:26:19 +0000

Very Cute in a Good Way - Review of Saving Face
The newest (and absolutely amazing) episode of Touch (E06: Lost & Found) had a story line about a lesbian couple which made me think of the romantic comedy Saving Face (2004), perhaps due to Michelle Krusiec playing a very similar role in both. When I first watched Saving Face many years ago I quite enjoyed it and after rewatching it I'll have to say that it indeed is a great movie.

Saving Face is an easy approachable movie (aka undemanding) but with enough interesting aspects to not be boring at all. I think the best way to describe it is as "cute" - in a good way. I couldn't stop smiling almost the whole movie through because everything was just as entertaining and adorable as it should be. Certainly one of the better romantic comedies.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-22)

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:25:30 +0000

Heartfelt and Delightful - Review of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
For some reason I had actually gotten my hopes up for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) even though I didn't really know much about it. I expected a delightful and entertaining movie - and that was also what I got, with the bonus of it having heart too.

It is a cute little story with some extremely lovable characters and a general light atmosphere. It put a smile on my face from the very beginning which pretty much lasted throughout the whole movie.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a thoroughly enjoyable and delightful movie which I certainly can recommend to anyone looking for something not too serious and still in no way silly or stupid.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-06-30)

Safe Haven (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:24:47 +0000

Romantic, Cute, and Even a Little Dark - Review of Safe Haven
I expected Safe Haven (2013) to be a little on the heavy side with romantic goo and even though it definitely was gooey and romantic, the movie also had a certain deepness and complexity to it; and even some darkness.

Safe Haven is far from the perfect romantic movie but it wasn't bad either. The romance parts of the movie with Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel worked as expected but hadn't it been for cute-as-a-button 8-year-old Mimi Kirkland I would probably not have had a smile on my face during as much of the movie as I did. Mimi Kirkland certainly brought on a few moments of cuteness overload which the movie greatly benefited from.

The darkness and complexity of the movie worked for the most part too, but the movie had certain kind of plot aspect which I in general don't like in movies and which I felt should have been left out; however, that's just me. The rest worked for me and a single scene even managed to make me tear up despite being quite predictable (still great premise though).

Overall I would say that Safe Haven is a worthy romantic drama with most of the movie being quite cute while still managing to have its darker moments. The movie is not for everyone but for us who like romantic movies where the romantic parts aren't everything, it is quite enjoyable.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-04-28)

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:24:06 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
The movie I chose to watch tonight from IMDB's Top 250, I really don't feel belongs on the list. It was Rosemary's Baby (1968) and I am thoroughly disappointed by it. I had expected a great original horror-thriller but instead it was just a mediocre horror flick.

While watching the movie I was interested in where the story was going, but not very intrigued by the movie itself. The story that hold my attention unfortunately turned out to be very predictable and in no way satisfying.

Rosemary's Baby is not a downright bad movie, but it's not great either.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-18)

Red State (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:23:25 +0000

I love most of Kevin Smith’s comedies so I wasn’t sure what to expect now that he had went and made a horror-thriller. But my hopes were high.

Red State (2011) starts out as many other horror flicks which made me expect that it would just be another mediocre flick with potentially a few brilliant moments. This was true for a little while, but all of a sudden I found myself completely caught by the movie which had turned into a great thriller. The characters were interesting and believable, and everything pointed to that this potentially could be an amazing movie. I had this feeling for a while and scene after scene I was pleasantly surprised. It had a few great moments which felt like a “fuck you” to the viewer in a similar way to The Devil’s Rejects (2005)(one of my all time favorite movies, btw). But this feeling of amazement didn’t last.

I’m not really sure when it happened but at some point in the last part of the movie everything the movie had build just seemed a little wasted. It just got weird in a quiet way concerning the plot and everything just seemed out of place. The great characters established wasn’t used to create a brilliant ending, but instead it just ended a little like “oh, we don’t have the time so let me just quickly tell you the rest of the story”. I absolutely didn’t like that.

What could have been an amazing movie ended up just being a good movie. I thoroughly enjoyed most of it while watching it, but nearing the end it lost my interest. I really hope there in the future will come another cut of this which do not fuck up the ending.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-02)

Real Steel (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:21:41 +0000

Far More Than Fighting Robots - Review of Real Steel
I'll start out by saying that Real Steel is a good movie. Yes, it is promoted as a movie about robot fighting and there is also a few scenes with fighting robots, but it has far more to offer than just fight scenes.
Almost all good fighting movies has one significant aspect in common - it isn't the fights that makes them good, but rather what happens outside the ring. The same is the case for Real Steel.

From the trailer one can perhaps expect that Real Steel is nothing but a stupid action flick, when it actually is a sci-fi, family drama; and one of the better ones for that. You get your regular story about an arrogant, deadbeat dad who evolves to become a good father and human being, through interaction with his son on their challenging journey together. For once, I actually didn't despise this story and the characters because the story actually had more twists and turns than I had expected, and the characters were complex enough to make them interesting. This was also achieved through the great cast who all, even the kid, did a quite impressive job making me care about the characters.

It isn't just the characters who evolve on their journey, but also the fighting scenes themselves. In the beginning of the movie the fights look like nothing but mindless button-mashing, but during the movie the fights evolve to consist of more complex fighting styles and tactics. To my surprise I actually got caught by some of the later fights, which I wouldn't had expected since they after all just are robot fights.

I could probably say a lot more about Real Steel, like for instance how bad-ass the kid character is, but I'll stop for now. The movie was to my surprise quite good, and I actually liked the sci-fi parts of it, despite them being focus around something as ridiculous as robot fighting. Real Steel isn't amazing but it still managed to keep me entertained and interested all the way through. Watch it if you aren't too bothered upfront about the concept of robot fighting. It is worth it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-04)

Raw (2016)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:21:15 +0000

Jaw-Droppingly Raw - Review of Raw
Back some time ago I started watching the trailer for the French drama Raw (2016) and I had to stop it after not many seconds; something felt different and amazing about this movie (though I didn't know what at the time - it was just a feeling) - and I didn't want to know anything else about until I got the chance to see the movie, which I did today. Heck, I didn't even know that it was a French movie - I just knew the title and that something in those first seconds of the trailer had made me feel like this was a movie I just had to watch.

After watching Raw I can certainly see why I was drawn to it. This is a special, jaw-droppingly raw movie with a special atmosphere to it that completely won me over. The feeling that Julia Ducournau's Raw left me with can perhaps be best described (without spoiling anything) as a mix of the atmospheres from Chan-wook Park's Stoker (2013) and Tomas Alfredson's Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)(2008) - both movies that I loved, with Raw now added to that special group.

As usual I won't say anything about what the movie is about - though I'm certain I couldn't explain it anyway. This is a movie that has to be felt in all its possibly disgusting glory.
Yep, there are several off-putting parts in this movie that are, for lack of a better word, raw - with several definitions of that word fitting the movie; it is fresh, crude, painful, intense, powerful, violent, gritty, and much more.

Director Julia Ducournau manages to create a special and amazing atmosphere with Raw and lead Garance Marillier manages to give life to the main character of Justine. Together the movie comes together to be something captivating and powerful that I hadn't dared to hope for. A good surprise, to say the least - though still a movie I would be hesitant to recommend to just anyone, since I'm sure a lot of people would find it off-putting if not downright disgusting. Though, if you got the right appetite, this might be just the movie for you. ;-)

(Originally shared on Google+, 2017-05-28)

Rare Exports (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:20:10 +0000

Rare Exports (2010) is an interesting and peculiar Finnish movie. It starts out as some sort of weird horror film but by the end the horror is gone and everything is just weird.
Definitely worth watching if you like something different from the usual stuff; with a new spin on the Santa Claus mythology.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-01)

Prometheus (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:19:27 +0000

Amazing, Though Not Perfect - Review of Prometheus
I just arrived home after watching the movie I had looked the most forward to of any movie in years - Prometheus (2012) - and even though it's past my bedtime I can't go to sleep before saying a few words about it (and of course I'm keeping it spoiler-free as always).

I absolutely love Alien (1979) so my expectations were extremely high for Prometheus; expectations which for far most of the movie were met, but unfortunately not all the way through. I was fully captivated, intrigued, and interested for the entire movie and it was amazing but at a certain point I felt it began to lose the elegant simplicity which made Alien so great. The problem was that there, very simply, were too many elements in the movie. Here I'm not talking about story or characters (which both were perfect), but rather that vast amount of different new "things" the characters encountered. There were never really given time to begin to wonder about that weird object the characters just found before a new one was introduced and then a new one again. Don't get me wrong; all of these "things" were fascinating but I just wish the movie had followed the "less is more" concept in a similar way to how Alien did.

I'm making it sound a little like I'm very disappointed by Prometheus, which certainly is not the case. I actually loved far most of the movie, with especially the characters standing out as truly spectacular. Remember Sigourney Weaver's amazing portrayal of the character Ripley in Alien? Well, Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw surprised me by not only getting to this same level of excellence but actually going beyond it, making her character very simply perfect. Despite this, I'll have to give the prize to Michael Fassbender's portrayal of the android David; a character which it is not unlikely at all is my favorite character from any movie. David is very simply an immensely interesting and captivating character which I've never seen the like of to this degree of complexity and executed in such an elegant way.

I could go on for a while about so many different aspects of Prometheus, but I'd better stop now. Prometheus is an amazing movie with many very interesting aspects which certainly won't leave my mind for some time. It succeeds on so many levels that it really is a shame that it tries to introduce more elements than is good for the movie. A little more simplicity and Prometheus could have been the perfect sci-fi movie. Instead it must settle for being amazing and almost within reach of perfection. So close!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-06-01)

Populaire (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:18:49 +0000

Quirky, Cute, and Amazing - Review of Populaire
I might as well start by saying it. Populaire (2012) is one of the absolutely most entertaining and enjoyable French movies I've ever watched.

I'm not quite sure how I ended up falling in love with Populaire before I ever even got a chance to watch it - but I did and my initial feelings for the movie were spot on.
Populaire is quirky, cute, enjoyable, and downright amazing. It feels like a merge of a Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie (like Amélie (2001)) and a Wes Anderson movie (like Moonrise Kingdom (2012)) but with a firmer grasp of reality.

Populaire had many, many moments where I burst out laughing or uttered a loud squee of excitement (ahem.. manly squees of manliness, of course) simply because of downright brilliant and amazing writing and, just as importantly, flawless execution.

The writing in Populaire is one of the great many aspects of the movie which struck me. There's witty dialogue, snappy comebacks, intelligent conversation, and generally an overall sense of style and brilliance. (Pst, I also have to mention the jawbreakingly great women empowering themes throughout the whole movie, making it even better.)

I think you catch my drift; Populaire is one big fucking delicious slice of joy with depth which I've come not to expect from comedies these days. I fell in love with the movie and almost everything about it - and it didn't help the matter that the main character was the epitome of cuteness.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-11-29)

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:18:10 +0000

Well, That Was Unexpected - Review of Pitch Perfect
A romantic comedy about college a cappella groups? Seriously? How did I get it into my head that this would be a movie for me? Well, somehow I did and tonight I got a chance to watch Pitch Perfect (2012) and what I was met by was completely unexpected. I liked it. I very much liked it.

Don't get me wrong; I didn't consider a cappella cool and Pitch Perfect didn't help the matter. A cappella can sound good at points but even the best a cappella songs/performances still would be even better if they just added a few instruments. One of the many good things about Pitch Perfect is however that it is very much aware of this. It doesn't seem to think that a cappella is oh so amazing which I feel most dance, cheerleading, etc. movies do. However, enough about the a cappella part of the movie.

Pitch Perfect surprised me by having not only a few but many utterly insane WTF moments which made me laugh out aloud so hard I almost couldn't breathe. This did not only include ridiculous situations but also some truly epic one-liners, for instance delivered by the odd character Lilly (portrayed by Hana Mae Lee) who I both found scary and hilarious.

Oh, I almost forgot: Fuck Glee; I'm never watching that shit again after Pitch Perfect showed me that you can actually make something more than just passable with a concept very close to what Glee is doing. That way I don't have to catch up on the 4th season either. Perfect Perfect has likable and interesting characters, several good movie references, songs I don't feel like skipping (either because they're making me laugh or sound good), comedy that is funny, and good, quotable one-liners. Glee got none of this. So once again: Fuck Glee.

I think I've gone on for long enough. A little into Pitch Perfect I did realize that I should have done yet another "rambling stream of contentiousness" post for Pitch Perfect, but I didn't feel like starting over. Perhaps I'll rewatch it while drunk this weekend and make such a post; let's see. Anyway: Pitch Perfect is not just a decent movie - it is a great movie, hilarious as hell and overall a very pleasant surprise. Watch it!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-12-05)

Phoebe in Wonderland (2008)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:17:25 +0000

Phenomenal - Review of Phoebe in Wonderland
Of all the movies I've rated 10/10 on IMDb there is a single one which stands out from the rest because of its mere couple of thousands of ratings compared to the hundreds of thousands ratings of most of the other movies. This fairly unknown movie is Phoebe in Wonderland (2008); a movie I hold very dear.

Phoebe in Wonderland is a movie which I've watched many times and each time loved more than the previous. It is a movie which utterly and completely captivates me and which moves me to tears; both tears of sadness and tears of joy.

Among the many parts of Phoebe in Wonderland that I love so very much, I have to highlight the acting. Young Elle Fanning delivers a performance that takes a hold of my heart and keeps a firm grip the whole movie through. Her portrayal of Phoebe with her ups and down is more enthralling that I ever dreamed possible from a child actor. But Elle Fanning is not alone; Felicity Huffman, Bill Pullman, and even young Bailee Madison all deliver powerful performances that makes the movie as a whole stand out as something truly spectacular.

It is no secret that Phoebe in Wonderland is movie with a special place in my heart. For this reason I think it is a shame that so very few people have seen it, so here is a few places you might be able to watch it online (I can't be sure since the movie here in Denmark isn't available most of these places):

- Netflix: https://goo.gl/wEpw7 ;
- YouTube: https://goo.gl/g9ume ;
- Google Play: https://goo.gl/Jk3Fy ;
- Amazon: https://goo.gl/ZIaTY ;
- iTunes: https://goo.gl/rUvS9 ;
- VUDU: https://goo.gl/5xgEb ;

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-04-07)

Perfect Sense (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:16:30 +0000

Incredibly Interesting in an Unique Way - Review of Perfect Sense
Perfect Sense begins as something very recognizable but quickly turns into something truly unique. It somehow manages to be depressing and uplifting in the exact same moment, with scenes so depressing that all I felt I could do was laugh. Other scenes were so optimistic and life-affirming that they brought a tear to my eye.

Perfect Sense is a peculiar and beautiful kind of movie. It swallowed me up little by little; at first not at all, but before I knew it, the movie had its grip on me and wouldn't let go. Perfect Sense is in no way perfect, but makes up for it by being incredibly interesting, which in the end makes for a great movie, well worth watching.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-03-12)

ReMoved (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:15:42 +0000

Heartbreakingly Beautiful - Review of ReMoved
Watch first - then read.

I have honestly never in my life experienced a movie that hit me so hard and so fast as the short film ReMoved (2013). Words cannot possibly describe what happened to me when I randomly starting watching ReMoved right after watching a couple of funny YouTube videos. It was simply that amazing.

ReMoved is the first ever short film that I've given 10/10 on IMDb (https://ratings.reschat.com). It is deeply emotional and it is so heartbreakingly beautifully written that I never imagined something like this possible. It is poetry and real life in one. I'm at a loss for words, but not for tears.

This might seem like too big words for some, but this movie is honestly, by my definition, a masterpiece - something I believe I've only ever said about one single movie before (Maidentrip - https://goo.gl/tPxG8V). ReMoved is that good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOeQUwdAjE0

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-05-30)

Odd Thomas (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:13:42 +0000

Oddly Excellent - Review of Odd Thomas
Only a few seconds into the trailer for Odd Thomas (2013) I stopped it and decided that this was the kind of movie which I'd like to watch not knowing anything about the plot. A wise decision I might say.

Odd Thomas is an odd movie. In the beginning I thought the movie had its fair share of questionable moments but as soon as I gave in and simply began to enjoy it something changed. It went from being silly to being interesting, captivating, hilarious, and even moving. The movie just kept getting better and better and by the end I had slightly fallen in love with it.

I don't think I should say much more - perhaps other than that Anton Yelchin rocked the main part, alongside Addison Timlin and Willem Dafoe who both also were great.

Odd Thomas is an excellent movie even though it being several degrees of odd. Its oddness reminded me a little of the series Pushing Daisies and I can highly recommend both. Well worth a watch.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-11-28)

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:13:10 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
After watching There Will Be Blood (2007) a few days ago I felt like watching No Country for Old Men (2007), so tonight I did. I'm thoroughly impressed; it was a solid movie.

No Country for Old Men has a somewhat slow paste but it still managed to keep my full attention the whole movie through and keep me on the edge of my seat. The characters were extremely well written and performed which, along with the story, made the movie exceptional. Definitely the best movie I've watched in a while.

Now the problem is that I really want to watch another movie similar to No Country for Old Men - but I can't think of any of close to equal greatness.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-11)

My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:12:28 +0000

Undemanding and Cute - Review of My Week with Marilyn
My Week with Marilyn (2011) isn't a movie I have a lot to say about. I thoroughly enjoyed it and almost every single scene had a special charm to it which put a smile on my face. This wasn't only because of Michelle Williams' impressive and stunning portrayal of Marilyn Monroe but also because of the main character of Colin Clark, portrayed by Eddie Redmayne.

While My Week with Marilyn is very cute for the most part it also contains some smaller undertones of depression and despair. These undertones are however at no point very dominating which means that the movie stays on its cute track. Despite this I found the movie overall extremely enjoyable and I can definitely recommend it if you're not expecting something very deep.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-21)

Mystic River (2003)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:11:57 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
Today came with the biggest disappointment of this week's movies from IMDB's Top 250. I chose to watch Mystic River (2003) which looked like an interesting and mysterious thriller. It wasn't.

Mystic River is just an usual crime thriller of which I've seen many better. I do see the appeal of the movie but it just seems very much like so many other crime thrillers, and it is not among the better ones. It had a few interesting aspect, but overall it was, simply put, boring.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-09)

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:11:23 +0000

Extraordinary and Peculiar - Review of Moonrise Kingdom
I've never seen any movie like Moonrise Kingdom (2012). It was weird, sweet, full of "what the fuck" moments, amusing, interesting, entertaining, surprising, lovely, and peculiar in the best way.

I'm not really sure what else to say about Moonrise Kingdom. It is in a weird way extraordinary in an unexplainable way. At first I just liked it and found it amusing, but little by little it sneaked up on me and made me fall in love with it. It is no surprise that this movie right now is #184 on IMDb's Top 250. It is a truly spectacular movie, which I highly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-09-25)

Miss Sloane (2016)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:10:48 +0000

Surprising and Brilliant - Review of Miss Sloane
I am long time admirer of Jessica Chastain's acting due too, well, everything I've ever seen her in. So when I learned that there was a movie named Miss Sloane (2016) with Chastain in the title role I did everything I could to not know a single other thing about the movie (successfully) to fully enjoy it. And, boy, did it pay off. I was completely blown away by the movie - which my tweets from right after finishing the movie might indicate. I loved this movie - and the less I tell you about it, the better. So.

I knew literally nothing about the movie Miss Sloane except that Chastain was the lead. Wow. Pleasantly surprised in an understatement. A+!

I can't overstate how completely blown away by Miss Sloane I was. Few pieces of media manage to literally IMPRESS ME TO TEARS! This was one.

(Originally shared on Google+ and Twitter, 2017-03-18)

Miss Representation (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:09:17 +0000

Great Topic; Disappointing Execution - Review of Miss Representation
It is very rare that I get my hopes up for documentaries but Miss Representation (2011) seemed like a both interesting and extremely relevant documentary, so I let myself hope for greatness. As it turned out, I was setting myself up for disappointment.

Don't get me wrong. The topics tackled in Miss Representation and the individual interviews were absolutely great. Several of the longer interviews were so powerful that they even made me tear up. However, the documentary was unfortunately not structured in the best way and it had several very poorly edited segments which broke the narrative and at times even made it feel very much like a propaganda movie.

It wasn't even that the movie little by little went from being about media's misrepresentation of women to promoting some agenda, which I've seen in other documentaries. It was rather that movie included several weirdly placed segments with flashing words and images, either overlaying an interview about something else or shown to some harder punk music, in what I think was an attempt to desexualize the flashing media clips. Not only did these segments feel out of place, but they also promoted censorship legislation, used slut-shaming, and even tried to proclaim that video games cause violence. These were all topics which the main narrative of the movie hadn't really touched upon; and certainly not to a degree to even remotely make such strong conclusions from.

Miss Representation had great potential with a relevant topic, many interesting stories, and a general good narrative. Some of this unfortunately got lost somewhere along the way and the informative and interesting stories were attempted used as a foundation for propaganda. Luckily, this attempt at promoting a different set of agendas failed and the interviews with the many powerful women and girls shined through, saving the movie - at least a little bit.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-01-25)

Mirror Mirror (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:06:14 +0000

Enjoyable Silliness - Review of Mirror Mirror
I in no way had my hopes up when I began watching Mirror Mirror (2012) and I even expected it to boring and pointless. Well, it certainly wasn't; it was actually quite good.

Yes, it is yet another story about Snow White - but contrary to the action packed and dramatic Snow White and the Huntsman (which I haven't watched yet), Mirror Mirror is cute, silly, and fun. Even though it didn't start out very promising, it quickly took a turn for the better when I began to understand how silly it actually was. When I began to embrace the cute silliness, I really began to very much enjoy the movie.

Mirror Mirror is a silly fairy tale which knows what it is and embraces it in a good way. It pokes a little fun at itself and it had me laughing very hard more than a few times. There were even thrown a few sexual innuendos in there; the kind which people with dirty minds will understand (misunderstand?) and the innocent won't notice. They even had a "shirtless guys are distraction"-joke and also a "women belong in the kitchen"-joke, which I found very entertaining in a movie which overall is perfect for the younger audience.

Mirror Mirror is better than I ever dared to hope for. It's not in any way truly amazing, but it does the best which what it got and succeeds in making a very entertaining and enjoyable movie. If you love silly fairy tales (like I admittedly do) you should give Mirror Mirror a shot. It's worth it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-06-08)

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:05:39 +0000

I'm not a fan of Woody Allen's movies, but tonight I still gave Midnight in Paris (2011) a chance; and I'm glad I did.

When I first heard about Midnight in Paris it was referred to as a "chick-flick", and to a certain degree this is also correct. The movie however plays more on nostalgia and the love for Paris, than the normal romance you'd expect from a chick-flick. It tells a peculiar and nostalgic story, a little like Paris, je t'aime (2006) did.

I can't say Midnight in Paris is a great movie, but it is definitely a good solid movie and a joy to watch. I'll however recommend Paris, je t'aime instead if you want to watch a movie capturing the romantic atmosphere of Paris. Midnight in Paris is more for the nostalgia-lover, who deeply wishes to live in a previous era; and for whom the movie also brings with it a relevant message.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-10-11)

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:05:02 +0000

Simple, Though Captivating - Review of Martha Marcy May Marlene
I'm not sure how or when I first heard about Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), but I back then somehow got it into my head that this was a movie I just had to watch. I did so without really knowing anything about its plot at all. I've since avoided getting any information about the movie, so that I would be able to watch it without having any idea of what it was about. This meant that when I began watching Martha Marcy May Marlene it was with curiosity and high hopes which I were a little afraid wouldn't be met. Luckily I was pleasantly surprised.

Martha Marcy May Marlene is a movie which takes its time and do not rush anything. I feel it benefited a lot from this way of telling its story, and almost every scene had a special kind of power because of this. One even more impressive aspect of Martha Marcy May Marlene is the portrayal of the main character Martha by Elizabeth Olsen. Since the movie to such a large degree is focused on Martha, it's very important to have a strong actress in the lead and I absolutely think Elizabeth Olsen did truly amazing. It is no wonder she has been nominated for and won so many awards for her part in the movie.

Once in a while I come across a movie which not only captivates me during the movie but ends in such a powerful way that I during the credits sit almost frozen in amazement. Martha Marcy May Marlene is one of few movies which managed this, alongside other recent movies like Drive, Another Earth, and The Descendants. Don't get me wrong, Martha Marcy May Marlene didn't manage to get up among my favorite movies, but it did impress quite thoroughly. This is a movie I won't soon forget.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-06)

Man of Steel (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:04:19 +0000

All Action, Little Substance - Review of Man of Steel
I've seen buildings blow up, superhuman characters fist fighting, and heroes singlehandedly destroy war machines far too many times for me to give a damn anymore. That is unless there is a captivating story or intriguing characters to pull me in. I'm sad to say that Man of Steel (2013) had far too much action and far too little story. It simply didn't captivate me, which meant that no matter how impressive the action scenes were, I wasn't the least bit affected by them.

Man of Steel had a small amount of quite frankly great character development related scenes which I would have loved to have more of. These scenes were however pushed to the background in favor of action scene after action scene after action scene which all had an empty feeling to them.

Man of Steel is not an inherently bad movie. It is just not captivating enough for me to give a damn about its main character. The movie has many great elements, but as a whole it simply is very ‘meh.’ Watch it if you want a whole lot of more or less mindless action.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-06-30)

Maidentrip (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:03:53 +0000

A Genuine Masterpiece - Review of Maidentrip
While looking for a movie to watch on this Sunday evening, I came across the movie Maidentrip (2013) in the "Action & Adventure" +Netflix category; a movie I had never heard of before, and it was sitting there alongside Serenity and Avengers. I found the trailer and within 30 seconds, I stopped the trailer, because I knew this was a movie I had to watch.

Maidentrip is a documentary - a genre which I have often been disappointed by, with very few exceptions, so I didn't fully get my hopes up. However, it really wouldn't have mattered, because the movie utterly and completely blew me away right off the bat. Maidentrip is, without a doubt, one of the best movies I have ever watched. I cannot even begin to describe how much I love this movie; but I'll try.

Let me put it like this: If Maidentrip had been the exact same movie, but a fictional live-action adventure movie, it would still have been an utterly amazing movie with a spot among my personal favorite movies. Though, the fact it is a documentary somehow adds that additional little piece of realisme, humanity, and relatability to it, which all in all takes it to a whole new level of film. This is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorite movies.

Maidentrip is the story of the 14 year old Laura Dekker realizing her dream of sailing around the globe - alone. The movie is almost exclusively shot by Laura herself, and this is exactly one the aspects of the movie that makes it so great. Think of it as the completely amazing Into the Wild (2007), but even better and as a documentary instead of a reenactment of actual events. Yes, Maidentrip is a real life, and even better, version of Into the Wild; and with more character development, more beautiful scenery, more relatable story, and more moving story; (which for the people who have seen Into the Wild, very likely does not seem not possible - but in Maidentrip it is).

I feel in love with Maidentrip faster than with any movie before. I love every single aspect about it, and I have never in my life experienced any movie this relatable. Laura Dekker has my deepest respect and admiration. Maidenship has the spot as one of my 3 all-time favorite movies. A masterpiece - and a human and genuine one of that.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-09-07)

Luc Besson's movies (1994-2014)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:02:48 +0000

Review of Luc Besson
I have recently been led to believe that Twitter threads is the thing of the now by a certain unnamed someone ( +Yonatan Zunger ), so this evening I spewed out a bunch of tweets about my love for Luc Besson movies.

- - -

After rewatching Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec this evening I began thinking back on Luc Besson's other movies. Thread!

Let's start from the beginning. Léon (1994). The first Luc Besson movie I watched - and the only Besson movie I would give a perfect score.

Léon is everything a quiet thriller should be - and more. This is one fucking emotionally captivating movie - and one I dearly love.

Next on is Taxi (1998) - a movie I first was introduced to by a childhood friend who had it on VHS. It was a magnificent experience.

Going by the order in which I saw these, the next one is The Fifth Element (1997). Do I need to say anything about this one? Wow. Just wow!

I think ~9 years went by before I again saw a Besson movie I hadn't seen before. The next one I watched was Banlieue 13 (District 13)(2004).

D13 was a total surprise to me. I knew nothing about it (especially not that it was Besson) - but I loved it; and, no surprise, made by Luc.

Next one on the list I seeked out because of Besson. Unleashed/Danny the Dog (2005). Could have been dumb - but was heartfelt and much more.

Later came Taken (2008), which everyone knows. It has later become a joke, but the movie was damn great, no doubt about it.

And, then came Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010). Such a fucking, amazing, and brilliant movie. One of the best.

At this point I was at university and had introduced my dorm mates to the amazing world that is Luc Besson's movies (especially d'Adèle).

A new Besson movie - Lockout (2012) - came out while I lived at the dorm. We all watched it together. Best group experience ever!

Lockout (2012) was the epitome of Luc Besson movies, aimed at a drunk, sci-obsessed audience - which were us. We loved it!

At this point I had begun looking forward to every Besson movie. And the next I had my eye on was The Family (2013).

The Family (2013) wasn't like the other Besson movies - but still a movie I couldn't help loving; mainly due to it's amazing characters.

Now Luc Besson were kinda mostly known for his over-the-top action movies, with the "over-the-top" referring to premise most of all.

And then came Lucy (2014); a movie premise so stupid, I simply couldn't help watching it. And it was stupid - but still damn straight great.

This concludes me reminiscing about Luc Besson movies (and ignoring sequels). Luc, you rock - keep making movies. <3

- - -

(Originally shared on Google+, 2017-04-13)

Looper (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:59:33 +0000

Thrilling and Surprising - Review of Looper
Friday I went to the movies with a few friends and watched Looper (2012) which I since have said I would review, so I better get around to it.

Before watching Looper I was not at all sure of what kind of movie it would be, and after watching it I can understand why. Looper isn't just one single thing; it's a combination of several genres; each working surprisingly well. I'd especially like to highlight the horror elements which were quite excellent and effective. But the action, thriller, and sci-fi elements were also impressive and worked well for the movie as a whole.

Looper is a difficult movie to explain. The story is interesting and told in a captivating way. The movie made me think, moved me, thrilled me, scared me, and overall is a pretty damn good movie. Looper is not the easiest time travel movie to approach - but it is at the same time far from the most complex. I liked it very much and I think most people who like time travel will too if they do not expect an action flick, which Looper certainly isn't.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-10-07)

Little Women (2017)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:59:03 +0000

The Best Period Drama Ever - Review of Little Women
I haven't written a review in a very, very long time; though, this evening, I decided to give the first part of the 3-part mini-series Little Women (2017), based on the 1868 novel of the same name, a shot and I ended up watching the whole mini-series in one sitting since I simply couldn't tear myself away from it. Yes, it was simply that amazing and captivating - and I felt I had to write a few words about it.

Little Women (2017) is a mini-series about a Massachusetts family in the late 1800s, with the main focus being on the 4 daughters of the family and their intertwined and separate lives.
This definitely didn't sound like something up my alley - but it was on my "I need to watch this"-list for some reason (I don't remember adding it to the list) so I kinda "had" to watch it; and so I did - and I'm so happy that I did.

Little Women is a phenomenal mini-series with some of the best characters I've seen in a long time. All 5 of the main characters (the 4 daughters and their mother) were so incredibly amazingly written and portrayed that I couldn't help but care deeply for all of them and be completely invested in their lives.

These characters were so different from anything I've ever seen in a period drama before that it truly took me by surprise that I suddenly found myself so deeply invested in them. They all felt so real - and at the same time so unique and understandable that I couldn't help but feel intensely connected to all of them. When they were happy, I was happy. When they hurt, I hurt. When they were divided, I was divided. What they felt, I felt. That is, without a doubt, a heck of an achievement for any series/movie to accomplish - but Little Women did just that.

The writing, and especially the dialogue, of Little Women is so profoundly brilliant, snappy, captivating, and poetic that I found myself repeating some of the lines out loud, right after hearing them. All lines felt true to the characters, but at the same time still relevant today. Managing this in a period drama isn't something I would ever have expected to be possible - but Little Women managed to do just that.

One character I especially have to highlight is the eldest sister, Jo March, who perhaps can be considered the main character of Little Women among the handful of main characters. The character of Jo is different, interesting, very relatable (for me), strong, caring, heartfelt, and a whole lot of other things all at once. The way Jo is written is astonishing refreshing, while at the same time feeling "overdue", as in characters like her should have been something we'd seen more of by now in media, but haven't (which is kinda weird since the original concept for this character was written in the 1800s, but still being refreshing to see today). Also, Jo was flawlessly and calculatingly portrayed by actress Maya Hawke, whose brilliant performance I felt like had to mean that Maya had a bunch of other great movies/series under her belt before this. Nope - apparently Little Women was Maya's first ever credited movie/series (her only other one being Ladyworld (2018) - currently in production). So bravo to Maya for making her introduction to the film world with, without a doubt, one of the top performances I've seen in years.

I could easily say a lot more about Little Women and all the amazing aspects of it - but I think I'll stop here.
I never imagined that a period drama could fully captivate me - but that was exactly what Little Women did - and so much more. Little Women was such an profoundly breathtakingly amazing mini-series that I never fully can put into words; but this was my attempt of doing so. Thank you, Little Women. :'-)

(Originally shared on Google+, 2018-01-20)

Like Crazy (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:58:18 +0000

Challenging Love - Review of Like Crazy
After watching Like Crazy (2011) I had difficulty putting my feelings about the movie into words so I decided not to review it. Well, now I'm doing it anyway since I came across a song from the movie (music video below) which revived my feelings about the movie.

Like Crazy is not a love story like so many other love stories. It is one the rare believable and honest love stories, a little similar to Blue Valentine (https://goo.gl/0XMsb). It is not a fairy tale about how love conquers all and that when you have it you live happily forever after. It is a story about love as brutally honest and challenging as it can be, and Like Crazy is very good at telling this story. It is a decent romantic movie for when you're not in the mood for the fairy tale nonsense.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-21)

Liberal Arts (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:57:41 +0000

Sweet, Well-Written, and Different - Review of Liberal Arts
Most people probably only know Josh Radnor as Ted from How I Met Your Mother, but while I like Josh as Ted I far more enjoy him as writer of, director of, and actor in his own movies - which there so far only are two of: Happythankyoumoreplease (2010)(my review: goo.gl/MvjHE) and now Liberal Arts (2012).

Back when I first encountered Happythankyoumoreplease I completely fell in love with it. It was, and still is, one of the best romantic comedies I've ever had the pleasure of watching. It is written so perfectly that I had huge hopes for Josh Radnor's next movie, Liberal Arts, which I got around to watch today - and I was not disappointed.

While Liberal Arts isn't quite up to the level of Happythankyoumoreplease it is still an amazing movie. There's something about this movie which I can't completely describe. It feels different from other movies - and in a very good way. The characters are likable and every single one of them makes me wonder about their backstory and how they came to be the person they are presented as in the movie. This is one of the many strengths of Josh Radnor's writing - all characters are very interesting and even characters with short time on the screen still give off a sense that there's a whole untold story behind them.

Liberal Arts is an amazing movie and one that feels very different from most things out there. It is captivating, interesting, funny, and moving. It made me think and made me feel. Definitely a movie worth watching.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-12-08)

Let Me In (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:56:58 +0000

Typical Americans to take something original and classy, and make it stereotypical and soulless.

Here I’m talking about the vampire movie Let Me In (2010), a remake of the Swedish movie Låt den rätte komma in (2008).
Every single aspect of the American remake was worse than the original. The casting, the acting, the music, the paste, the effects, the scenography, the mood - yes, everything.

One thing I gotta give it. The last few minutes actually surprised me after a whole movie of disapointment. They were actually up the standard of the original - but still far too little to save the movie.

So my advice is clear. Go see the original and skip the remake. It’s not even close to worth your time.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-02-16)

Les Misérables Concert: 25th Anniversary (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:55:38 +0000

Les Misérables
I once tweeted "After listening to a few of my favorite songs from Les Misérables's 25th anniversary concert, most other songs just pale in comparison." - a statement which I still think is very descriptive of the amazement that is Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary (2010).

Tonight after watching a few 30 Rock episodes, watching Predators (2010), and drinking more than just a few beers I decided to begin watching Les Misérables, an idea which Raven liked, so now we're enjoying some beautiful songs with a few beers.

Watching or listening to Les Misérables is always a joy and more than a few of the songs never cease to give me goosebumps. There is really no way to describe it - you just have to experience it for yourself.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-24)

Les Misérables (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:52:52 +0000

Worthy - Review of Les Misérables
I love the musical Les Misérables so I certainly had to experience the movie Les Misérables (2012) which I had very high hopes for; and I wasn't let down.

Les Misérables is a beautiful and spectacular movie. To put it plainly, it is a very worthy adaptation. It was everything that a movie adaptation of the musical should and can be. I really have no much to say than that. Experience it!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-03-16)

La cara oculta (The Hidden Face)(2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:51:47 +0000

Thrilling and Captivating - Review of La cara oculta
I found the Spanish thriller La cara oculta (The Hidden Face)(2011) because of Martina García whose performance in the the newest episode of Homeland caught my attention and made me look up what else she had been in. I'm very glad I did so because as it turned out I had stumbled upon something great.

At first La cara oculta just seemed like a good solid movie but little by little it got to me. It got under my skin and I was glued to screen for most of the movie. I was interested, intrigued, and utterly captivated by it. I have a difficult time explaining what exactly it is about La cara oculta that makes it so unique - but trust me, this is a great and different thriller.

La cara oculta went far beyond what I had dared to hope for. It was actually so great that the moment it ended I literally yelled out "FUCK" in utter awe of much the movie had affected me.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-10-16)

Kick-Ass (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:51:08 +0000

Not Bad - Review of Kick-Ass 2
I absolutely loved Kick-Ass (2010) so I simply had to watch the sequel, Kick-Ass 2 (2013), even though I was expecting disappointment. As it turned out, Kick-Ass 2 was not a bad movie after all.

Kick-Ass 2 is a sequel and it feels like a sequel. That said, the movie wasn't bad - not at all. The characters were good, the plot was decent, the action was acceptable, the comedy was above average, and overall it was a good movie - though lengths from the level of Kick-Ass.

There's really not much more to say about Kick-Ass 2. It is worth watching but not spectacular in any way.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-11-30)

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:50:27 +0000

All I have to say about Jupiter Ascending (2015) can be said in a single tweet.

Jupiter Ascending is an immensely boring and cliche filled action flick with no real value, no purpose, and no redeeming qualities.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-04-21)

Iron Sky (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:49:11 +0000

Perfectly, Hilariously Ridiculous - Review of Iron Sky
All you need to know about Iron Sky (2012) is that it a sci-fi comedy about a secret Nazi base on the moon, set up in 1945, where from there in 2018 is led an invasion of Earth. Sounds ridiculous? It is. It is completely and utterly ridiculous. And it is hilarious.

The premise of Iron Sky leaves no doubt that it is going to be fucked up in every way possible; and it certainly delivers. All the small ridiculous details are in place, down to every little homage (not parody) and every so-stupid-it's-funny joke.

I quite thoroughly enjoyed Iron Sky, which a few times had me laughing so hard I had to pause the movie. Despite this, I don't really have a lot to say about the movie. It is just plain out perfectly ridiculous.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-05-27)

Intouchables (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:48:28 +0000

Delightful and Heartfelt - Review of Intouchables
When I came across the French comedy Intouchables (2011) I wasn't sure it would be a movie for me, but I gave it a shot since it, after all, was #144 on IMDb's top 250. I'm extremely glad I did.

Intouchables is moving, entertaining, interesting, and much, much more. It is very simply one of the best (or the best) serious and heartfelt comedy I've ever watched; with some of the most sympathetic characters one will experience in any comedy. It is not perfect, but damn close. So if you get the chance to watch it, I very much urge you to do so; it is worth it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-06)

Indie Game: The Movie (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:47:41 +0000

An Interesting and Emotional Journey - Review of Indie Game: The Movie
I rarely play indie games, or any games for that matter, but the Kickstarter-funded documentary Indie Game: The Movie (2011) seemed interesting and with a few clicks I had bought and downloaded the movie. Before going into what I think about the movie itself, I first have to acknowledge the fact that Indie Game: The Movie is accessible in the way every single movie should be and it is the best movie-buying experience I've ever had. The movie can be paid for in just a few clicks via PayPal, Amazon, or Steam, and then the movie is available for download in a range of formats as well as available for streaming. If it was this easy to buy every movie, getting movies legally would all of a sudden be about as convenient as getting them illegally. In case you want to check out Indie Game: The Movie yourself, you can find it here: http://buy.indiegamethemovie.com

Now back to my review of the movie.

When many people hear "documentary" they think of an informative movie which only is good for presenting information about a subject or topic in a hopefully appealing way. I felt like this once, but not anymore since I've experienced several documentaries which managed to move, captivate, and intrigue me more than far most non-documentaries. These are documentaries like Catfish (2010)(my review: goo.gl/ih3bq), Shut Up & Sing (2006), Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010), and now also Indie Game: The Movie (2011).

One might think Indie Game: The Movie would be about indie games; but it is not. It is about a few developers of indie games and their interesting and emotional journeys, developing their games. How much emotion there actually were in the movie and how much it moved me, honestly took me by surprise. Watching the movie, I went from being interested and intrigued to being completely captivated and moved. The movie made me laugh, it made me think, and it moved me. It took me on a journey I had not expected - but an amazing journey nonetheless.

All the game developers were extremely interesting in each their own completely different and distinctive way, though with some common tendencies between them. They were all putting a very big part of themselves into their games art and telling a more personal story with their games than I ever had thought. Watching them talk about their games and the story behind them, moved me very much. Listening to +Edmund McMillen, co-creator of Super Meat Boy, talk about his game, the thoughts behind it, and the process of making it managed to bring a tear to my eye several times. The parallels he drew between his own life and his games, were truly poetic. I never expected I would able to look at Super Meat Boy as poetry, but +Edmund McMillen, as the true artist he is, managed to do just that.

I could go on for a while about the emotional roller coaster Indie Game: The Movie took me on, but I better bring it to a hold. The movie was amazing in every way I had hoped for but also managed to take me by surprise with it profoundly moving depiction of these indie game developers who most people never give a thought. Indie Game: The Movie is very simply a movie worth watching; even if you're not a gamer but only slightly curious concerning video games.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-06-13)

Imagine You & Me (2005)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:46:34 +0000

The romantic comedy I'm still in love with - Imagine You & Me
I am a sucker for a good romantic movie and Imagine You & Me (2005) is the best of the best. It is a movie I've loved since the very first time I watched it and one that I've watched over and over again. It is a movie I fall utterly and completely in love with every single time I watch it. It is, to me, the best romantic movie ever.

Imagine You & Me makes my face hurt from smiling; it makes my heart feel like it's bursting for several different reasons; it makes tears run down my cheeks; and it makes me feel everything that a romantic comedy should make one feel.

Imagine You & Me is without a doubt my all-time favorite romantic movie. I don't think I need to say much more.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-09-01)

I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:44:29 +0000

Here Comes the Boom (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:42:52 +0000

Entertaining and Heartwarming - Review of Here Comes the Boom
After a couple of less-than-great movies today I luckily ended with a nice surprise: Here Comes the Boom (2012).

I had expected Here Comes the Boom to be a movie with comedy being in focus and the story being mostly out of focus. That wasn't the case. The movie turned out to be not only entertaining about also captivating, inspiring, and even heartwarming. It combines elements from a few types of movies which there are a lot of out there, but the combined result works.

I'm glad I gave Here Comes the Boom a shot despite my skepticism and it certainly also is a movie I can recommend if you're looking for something entertaining but not silly.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-02-17)

Happythankyoumoreplease (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:42:11 +0000

I normally don’t have much to say about romantic comedies and despite there being a few that I really love, often they just seem shallow and stuffed with clichés.
So when I once in a while find one I really enjoy, I have to take notice. Happythankyoumoreplease (2010) is such a movie.

I have to admit that the reason behind me watching Happythankyoumoreplease was that Josh Radnor (Ted from How I Met Your Mother) and Kate Mara was in it. And it was definitely also these two (especially Josh) that made the movie believable, witty, and moving.

I found myself laughing, being moved, and smiling all the way through the movie. It had likable characters who all helped telling several different stories, each with its own type of love and affection.

So if you are in the mood for a cute romantic comedy that really makes you smile, you should keep a look out for Happythankyoumoreplease.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-01-16)

Gran Torino (2008)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:40:58 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250
Common for all of the movies I watch from IMDb's Top 250, is that I have very high expectations for them. This was also the case for the movie Gran Torino (2008), which several people have recommended to me. So I finally watched it.

Gran Torino starts out as a good movie, but I wasn't really very impressed by it at first. It was only later on in the movie, when the characters began to develop and make an impression on me, that the movie become great.
The movie is indeed being carried by Clint Eastwood, so if you don't like him, do not watch this movie. But if you however is willing to give it a chance, you might end up enjoying it very much.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-14)

Goon (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:40:13 +0000

Amazing Characters and Brilliant Writing - Review of Goon
I began watching Goon (2011) with the expectation that it would be a good, though possibly silly, entertaining comedy. As it turned out, it was so incredibly much more.

At first Goon might seem like nothing more than good for a few laughs and some good fights. However, after a little while I realized that the movie had snuck up on me and had me completely captivated. The characters were far more than simply great and they were written (and acted) to such perfection that I was more than just a little amazed.

Goon not only made me laugh countless times, due to its pure and great humor, but also managed to move me quite a lot, which I in no way had expected from the trailer which by the way certainly doesn't do the movie justice. The characters were complex and enthralling to such a degree that I really felt with them every step of the way. Scene after scene I was amazed by how truly amazing the writing was and how every single character felt real. I was also a little surprised by how several scenes actually felt plain out cute and adorable which for some reason felt as a perfect contrast to the violence.

I can't review Goon without mentioning the beautifully written main character, portrayed extremely well by Seann William Scott. The character was so good, pure, and innocent that it hurt a little to see him fight, which made the fight scenes work on a whole other level than one usually sees. On top of this, he had what I best can describe as "a cute personality" which most of all made him remind me of a disoriented, cute puppy; who then beats the shit out of more than a few people.

Overall, Goon is an amazing movie, in large part due to its brilliant writing. Following the main character on his journey is a journey in itself and the movie so good at portraying every single character along the way that it left me stunned in amazement. A pure and brilliant movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-05-18)

Godzilla (2014)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:39:20 +0000

Good Enough - Review of Godzilla
I finally got the chance to watch Godzilla (2014) and I have to say, I was kind of disappointed. It didn't suck, by any means, but it wasn't exactly great either.

Godzilla is a good, solid movie - but nothing more. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, and Ken Watanabe do their best with what they got, and the result isn't bad either. The overall plot is interesting and decent. All the parts are solid - but as a whole, the movie simply never managed to truly impress me.

Godzilla is good enough - and I had hoped for a lot more.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-08-22)

God Bless America (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:36:31 +0000

Fucking Amazing - Review of God Bless America
When I first watched the trailer for God Bless America (2011)(http://youtu.be/ul4CZrnEFxU) I very much got my hopes up. It looked like a hilarious dark comedy of the best type, but I had not dared to hope for it to be as amazing as it turned out to be. God Bless America is fucking amazing; with "fucking" being the perfect word in relation to the language and violence in the movie.

I had anticipated that, while God Bless America would be entertaining, it perhaps could be somewhat lacking in other aspects, such as story and characters. I was completely wrong. The story and characters were interesting and intriguing, which made the movie far more than just good for a laugh. God Bless America captures the narcissism and stupidity of our age in an immensely entertaining, intriguing, and captivating way.

God Bless America is a truly exceptional movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-08)

Girl Fight (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:35:15 +0000

Powerful and Disturbing - Review of Girl Fight
I don't normally like Lifetime movies but I gave Girl Fight (2011) a shot anyway because of Jodelle Ferland playing the leading role. I'm glad I did since it turned to be a great movie.

The story by itself is very disturbing but the movie is more than just the story. Girl Fight has several well-written characters with the actors delivering very convincing performances. The movie is of a general high quality which made it very powerful. I quickly got captivated by the movie and it even managed to bring a tear to my eye during some of the very powerful and emotional scenes.

Girl Fight is disturbing, powerful, and captivating. It is a rough story but if you can handle it I can clearly recommend watching it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-12-30)

Ghost Busters (1984) & Ghostbusters II (1989)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:34:19 +0000

My (Perhaps) Unpopular Opinions About Ghost Busters
Despite that I've watched quite a few movies, and consider myself a film nerd, I've actually never gotten around to watching Ghost Busters (1984). This was until tonight where I watched Ghost Busters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989) back-to-back. I have to say that I'm disappointed; neither of them were very good.

I found Ghost Busters to have a pointless plot line driven by too many erratic coincidences, and not a single likable character. So there were really nothing there for me, except for a few cheap laughs.

Ghostbusters II was slightly better. It had gotten rid of several of the character aspects I didn't like from the first movie, but still was nothing more than a silly comedy to laugh more at than with.

I see the appeal of both movies, but they are unfortunately just not for me. The best thing about them was that they made me want to watch Alien (1979) again. Now that's a great movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-20)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:33:29 +0000

Awesomely Entertaining - Review of Guardians of the Galaxy
I always look forward to new Marvel movies, but most of the time I know pretty much what to expect; this time I wasn't quite sure. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) was a part of the Marvel universe I knew nothing about other than was shown in the greatly entertaining trailer, so I was curious what it would be. As it turned out, Guardians of the Galaxy was possibly the most entertaining sci-fi movie I've ever watched; simply amazing.

The story was good and not unnecessarily complex; the characters were colorful and interesting; the action was thrilling and entertaining; the humor was utterly hilarious; and the movie was overall everything I could ever hope for in a non-drama sci-fi movie.

This might well be my new favorite Marvel movie (sorry, Winter Soldier, you are still amazing, which is why I watched you twice in the past week). Everything in Guardians of the Galaxy simply came together to make a near-masterpiece of an action sci-fi movie. Thank you very much, +James Gunn.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-08-06)

Frozen (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:32:40 +0000

Magically Magnificent - Review of Frozen
I had looked forward to seeing Frozen (2013) for a long time and today finally became the day. I was a bit nervous whether Tumblr had ruined it for me but as it turns out it wasn't too many parts they had spoiled.

Frozen is a magical, emotional, and entertaining journey. It is an amazing story told in true Disney style with interesting characters. I felt the movie was far more relatable than most other Disney movies and the characters felt more like real people. It was silly but not shallow; it was deep but not (too) depressing; it was perfect.

I absolutely loved the Frozen; it was everything I had hoped for and more. Welcome to my new #2 favorite animated movie (nothing can beat WALL·E (2008)).

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-02-25)

Fright Night (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:32:05 +0000

The Lack of Double Tap Strikes Again - Review of Fright Night
I've previously written about double tap and the great frustration the lack thereof has caused me (goo.gl/2fJQj). Now yet another movie has shown that the days where the "good guys" don't take advantage of the situation when the "bad guys" are down, are far from over.

The movie I'm talking about is Fright Night (2011). While it is a mildly entertaining movie, it had me trying to resist yelling "DOUBLE TAP!" at the screen far too many times. The main characters over and over again got control of the situation/bad guy, and every single time either assumed that the war was over, or ran frightened away. Without exception, this resulted in the bad guy getting on his feet, and getting the time to recover, for then later to again be an imminent threat to the lives of the so-called "good guys".

Fright Night wasn't terrible, but when I in no way am rooting for the main characters, but rather hoping that they would just die, there is something wrong. Watch it so you can yell at the stupid "good guys", while being somewhat entertained.

On a final note, and probably the aspect I enjoyed most of the movie: The name Charlie was spoken quite a few times during the movie, and every time all I could think about was:
Charlie The Unicorn (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5im0Ssyyus)

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-26)

Family Weekend (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:31:14 +0000

Weird and Amazing - Review of Family Weekend
I had come across Family Weekend (2013) a few times before but I had skipped it until today because of its somewhat low IMDb rating (5.4/10). Then today I decided to watch a couple of movies with Joey King; first the disappointing Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), then the not half bad Ramona and Beezus (2010), and finally Family Weekend which I ended up falling completely in love with.

I'm not entirely sure why or how Family Weekend managed to completely blow me away, but it did. The movie is insane, funny, clever, intriguing, and heartfelt. I don't think I've seen something quite like it before. The story is pretty bonkers and the movie contains more than its fair share of comedic elements; however, it works amazingly well on a more serious level too.

Since it was my Joey King movie day that made me give Family Weekend a go, I feel I need to mention her performance. The character Joey King portrays is a character which quite easily could have ended up seeming silly and stupid, but Joey King managed to avoid this and make the character work. The potentially comedic relief character turned out to have depth which both made me think and feel. I think this is a good way of describing the array of colorful characters in Family Weekend in general. The characters are weird and comedic but they have a depth to them that made them intriguing and moving. Also, while talking about the characters, I have to highlight Olesya Rulin's absolutely astonishing performance as the main character which is the cornerstone of Family Weekend.

I know I've gone on for longer than I usually do in my reviews, but Family Weekend completely caught me by surprise and I fell in love with it in a way that made me say "holy fucking shit" out loud the second the movie ended. Family Weekend is a weird movie; a weird and amazing movie which I'm very happy I gave a shot despite expecting it to be acceptable at best. Boy, was I wrong.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-05-25)

Evil Dead (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:30:33 +0000

Fucking Beautiful - Review of Evil Dead (2013)
Quite a while ago I watched the three original Evil Dead movies and shared my rambling streams of consciousness while watching them. Find these ramblings here: The Evil Dead (1981): https://goo.gl/mWtaw, Evil Dead II (1987): https://goo.gl/yE3OY, Army of Darkness (1992): https://goo.gl/dzLrY.

I wasn't particularly impressed by the first two original Evil Dead movies - frankly, I didn't like them. However, when I saw the trailer for the 2013 remake I was thoroughly damn impressed. It looked intriguing and beautiful; and my expectations were pretty damn spot on. Evil Dead (2013) was fucking beautiful.

In order for horror movies to impress me nowadays they either have to do something truly original or have a flawless execution when recycling old horror tropes. Evil Dead is the latter. It is not original, surprising, scary, or interesting. This might sound like it is a bad movie, which couldn't be more wrong. Evil Dead is intriguing, captivating, thrilling, impressive, and pretty much a visual masterpiece. Big words, I know, but accurate.

I don't think I've ever before seen a horror movie this visually astonishing. Every single scene was FUCKING BEAUTIFUL! Yes, I felt I had to yell and swear when saying that since the movie after all is a very gory horror flick. Oh, the gore - it wasn't too excessive but felt real in a curious way; something that is very rare.

Evil Dead is the kind of movie that you can pause at pretty much any moment and you'll have an utterly beautiful photograph. I feel it is a weird thing for a horror movie to be this beautiful - but, heck, it was and it worked. Perfect execution of old tropes apparently makes for a great movie; and one that I highly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-07-06)

Eva (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:29:27 +0000

Interesting and Thought-Provoking - Review of Eva
Eva (2011) is a Spanish sci-fi drama about a cybernetics engineer who returns to his home town to design robot software for his old university.

From the very beginning the movie was very good at making me curious concerning many aspects only hinted at. The society and the state of the world weren't really gone into; it was just there as a frame for the story to take place. The main focus of Eva is the main character Alex and the girl Eva with their peculiar bond. While the parts of the movie which focused on the main characters were quite interesting and captivating, most of the other parts unfortunately felt quite bland in comparison.

Despite Eva's few shortcomings, it as a whole is still a rather good movie with many interesting and thought-provoking aspects, well worth watching.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-08-25)

Europa Report (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:28:49 +0000

Surprisingly Interesting and Thrilling - Review of Europa Report
When I first heard about the sci-fi movie Europa Report (2013) I thought it was just another cliche-filled, shaky cam / found footage horror flick; so I skipped it. That was until this evening when two friends and I needed a movie to watch and we settled on Europa Report because we knew next to nothing about it.

As it turned out, Europa Report managed to tell its story in a intriguing way; and what an interesting story it was. I was throughout the whole movie interested in everything going on; and to my surprise, the science stuff was not bad - it was actually quite good.

Europa Report is a thrilling, interesting, and overall far better than expected sci-fi thriller. It has a lot of new things to offer and it finds a good way of telling its very science-centered story so that I at times forgot I wasn't watching an amazing documentary. Europa Report is without a doubt a movie I can recommend to any sci-fi-interested people.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-08-18)

Epic (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:28:11 +0000

Sometimes a movie review only needs 140 characters.

Epic (2013): Several laughs, no tears, a bit full of itself, mostly predictable, one surprise, and generally acceptable.

(Originally shared on Twitter, 2013-08-09)

Electrick Children (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:27:11 +0000

An Unexpected Gem - Review of Electrick Children
I've in the last few days watched several movies but not really felt like I had much to say about any of them. I expected that the same also would be the case for the fairly unknown movie I chose to end this Friday evening by watching - Electrick Children (2012) - but apparently I was wrong.

When I first read about Electrick Children it didn't seem like a movie for me but then I watched the trailer (http://youtu.be/tpE-fshuN2o) which had something to it which caught my interest. After watching the movie I'm very glad I gave it a chance since it turned out to be quite interesting.

Electrick Children tells a considerably simple, but interesting, story focusing on the main character Rachel, perfectly portrayed by Julia Garner. The movie has a special way of telling its story which I felt was done in a very good way. I got captivated not so much by the story itself but rather by the characters and their personal journeys. A big part of this was the subtle but great acting where I again have to highlight Julia Garner whose performance was necessary for the movie to work, which it certainly did.

There were a couple of aspects of Electrick Children which made me think of Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), a movie which I fell in love with back in February (my review: https://goo.gl/o83BN). Even through Electrick Children had several similarities with Martha Marcy May Marlene it unfortunately never reached the same level of excellence - but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Electrick Children is an interesting little gem of a movie which, while being quite a bit from amazing, still was a joy to watch. If you get the chance to watch Electrick Children and you're not quite sure whether or not to watch it I recommend that you give it a shot. I'm certainly glad I did.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-12-28)

Eden Lake (2008)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:26:19 +0000

Second horror-like movie of the day: Eden Lake (2008)
The movie starts out as a mediocre horror thriller, but nearing the end it really caught me. It turns down the horror part and up the thriller part in a very decent way.
Not for the faint of heart, but I can recommend it to people who like this sort of movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-01)

Drive (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:25:38 +0000

Once in a while when I hear about an upcoming movie, I get a feeling that this movie will be something special. This was the case for the movie I was lucky enough to catch a pre-screening of tonight with a few friends. The movie was Drive (2011) and it was indeed something special.

Drive is far from the average movie, in that it tells its story in a very subtle way, which still managed to completely catch me. I think the best way to describe it, is as brutally honest in a calm way. The movie has its fair share of quiet moments which were executed to perfection, making them very describing, emotional, harmonic, and at times even suspenseful.

These quiet moments were far from all the movie had to offer. When needed, it was able to be brutal, action-filled, and surprising. And all of these moments were carried out in such a way that they all felt extremely honest and realistic, which overall was one of the great aspects of the movie.

Drive is one of the best movies I’ve watched in a while. I can definitely recommend it, if you want a movie with substance and not just senseless action.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-09-13)

Don Jon (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:24:04 +0000

Unexpectedly Great - Review of Don Jon
After writing the first paragraph of my review of the movie Don Jon (2013) I realized that this is the kind of movie I can't say anything about - no matter how vague - without spoiling it, so... Hello Sweetie...
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I have to admit that before watching Don Jon (2013) I thought it was going to be a bunch of superficial, sex-focused bullshit. This was also exactly how the movie started out. It wasn't bad - but it wasn't great either. Then something happened.

Little by little I noticed that something felt off about the superficial movie I was watching; it wasn't superficial. I was expecting Don Jon to be a certain way and the movie knew this and used it to trick me in a subtle, simple, and amazing way.

The realization that Don Jon had 3-dimensional characters, interesting plot lines, and well-constructed social commentary wasn't something that hit me all at once; it rather occurred to me in small doses at the time until, in a few smaller scenes, exploding in the subtlest powerful way ever which left me breathless. If it wasn't for the fact that I was speechless in astonishment some of the scenes would have had me yelling out "FUCK!" in utterly realization about the significance of something which previously had been presented in a way that made me think it was meaningless.

Don Jon is a great movie. It was A LOT of explicit sex - or rather, porn - but this is part of a larger ruse and evolution of both movie, characters, and viewer. Don Jon is a piece of art - a damn interesting and entertaining piece of art. A pleasant change from all the boring normal romantic comedies.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-12-19)

Django Unchained (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:23:19 +0000

Greatly Enjoyable - Review of Django Unchained
I had looked forward to Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained (2012) for a while and today I finally got around to watching it. To my surprise I don't really have a lot to say about it. I loved it quite a bit - even though not as much as Inglourious Basterds (2009). Quentin Tarantino did an excellent job making Django Unchained and I can't really complain about any part of it.

Another great movie from Tarantino.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-03-28)

Dirty Girl (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:22:54 +0000

Not What I Had Expected, But Still Good - Review of Dirty Girl
From the trailer for Dirty Girl (2010)(http://youtu.be/Qy3eAiB5UPo) I had gotten the impression that it was a fast-paced and somewhat silly comedy. This wasn't really an anywhere near fitting description of Dirty Girl, which I probably could have found out if I just had checked its genre on IMDb ("drama" - not "comedy").

Because I began watching Dirty Girl with a somewhat wrong idea of what it was, it confused me a little at first. It was funny, but not in the usual comedy kind of way, but rather as a drama with its fair share of funny and peculiar moments. The more comedy-like parts from the beginning began fading into the background compared to the the character stories which were unfolding. The further into the movie I got, the deeper and more moving it felt, and I ended up being very much caught by it.

Dirty Girl is peculiar, interesting, moving, and charming in its own little way. It isn't one of the greater movies, but I quite thoroughly enjoyed it all the way through. A good, decent movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-11)

Croft (2013)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:21:54 +0000

Croft - Amazing Action Short Film
I had forgotten that the action short film Croft (2013) was coming out this Christmas so it was a pleasant surprise when I yesterday found out that the film had been released on YouTube.

Croft is a fan short film which is beautifully shot and choreographed. I hadn't gotten my hopes up but I might has well have since Croft turned out to be the best action short film I've ever watched.

In the lead as The Hero we have stunt performer (Supernatural, Arrow, Continuum), actress (Arrow), and YouTube vlogger (youtube.com/nerdzrl) Cassandra Ebner who won a reward for Female Action Performer of the Year for her role in Croft. It was through Cassandra's vlogs that I first learned about Croft and she certainly did deliver a noteworthy performance.

Croft is a stunt-focused action short film with a simplistic story and a very solid feel to it. The film excels in its action and cinematography which makes it an absolute blast to watch. I can highly recommend you watching Croft - and since it is freely available on YouTube you might as well give it a shot.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-12-26)

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:20:53 +0000

A Moving and Hilarious Romantic Comedy
Tonight I got to watch Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) with a few friends, and I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed. It has been a long time since a movie have made me laugh so hard while still managing to move me.

For the first time ever, I found Steve Carell likable. Julianne Moore and Emma Stone were lovely as always, while Ryan Gosling was simply perfect for his role, which made me think of the amazing Drive (2011), despite the character being completely different.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a comedy with heart and style; and it even had a few nods to a movie enthusiast like myself. Thank you very much for that.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-10-16)

Coriolanus (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:20:16 +0000

Utterly Rubbish - Review of Coriolanus
I made a mistake when I decided to watch Coriolanus (2011), in that I didn't check who wrote the original script. If I had, I would never have begun watching the movie no-matter how interesting the trailer looked. You see, Coriolanus is based upon a play by William Shakespeare, whom I've never even come close to liking anything written by.

Well, I watched the whole thing. It had a few interesting aspects which unfortunately were ruined by the utterly rubbish dialogue, trying to be elegant and poetic which it certainly wasn't. I hated the movie more and more for every line spoken and I continuously wished everyone would just shut the fuck up. On top of this, I found the story quite stupid.

Don't watch Coriolanus unless you absolutely love Shakespeare.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-05-08)

Conan the Barbarian (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 15:19:28 +0000

Conan the Inconsistent Sociopath
You get what you expect from Conan the Barbarian (2011). It is a casual, plot-thin action flick which should be watched with a few friends and even more beer; and that was exactly what I did last night. Despite it being a regular action flick, it still had few aspects which I want to address.

I felt Conan the Barbarian consisted of three parts: Conan the Sociopath, Conan the Action Hero, and Conan the Inconsistent.

Conan the Sociopath
In the beginning, with Conan as a child, you experience a Conan who kills quite efficiently and apparently really enjoys it. The obvious joy on Conan's face when killing his enemies and seeing them suffer, is somewhat scary. This sociopathic Conan is not the kind of protagonist you'll the rooting for, and it rather seemed like the birth of an antagonist. Not a great way to start of the movie.

Conan the Action Hero
After the questionable start, the adult Conan is presented. This is a Conan with a grin on his face and always a smart one-liner ready. This is the regular action hero you know from your average action flick; and perhaps most importantly: quite a few naked women who throw themselves at Conan the moment he is done killing the evil people. Not bad, but not great either. Just what you would have expected.

Conan the Inconsistent
During the last part of the movie, things began to get weird. It was someone had cut out major parts of the movie, leaving huge gaps in the plot line. Things happened for not apparent reason and everything was just ridiculously inconsistent. This part of Conan the Barbarian ruined the movie for me and transformed it from an acceptable action flick to a just plain bad action flick.

Despite the Conan the Barbarian at times being inconsistent, it was still a joy to poke fun at it with a few friends while drinking a lot of beer. So I can't completely advise against watching it, but you'll have to be prepared (stocked up on beer).

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-11-06)

Compliance (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 12:11:01 +0000

Captivating and Disturbing - Review of Compliance
Compliance (2012) is the of the kind of movie based on a true story which about some people say that the story summary is better than the movie. Here I absolutely have to disagree. While the true story, which the movie is based on, is very disturbing I still feel Compliance managed to tell the story in a very effective and captivating way, making it more than just a scary story.

I'm not going to go into what Compliance is about since I feel it is one of those movies which are even better if you know nothing about them beforehand (something I feel about most movies - but it is especially the case for certain thrillers, horror movies, and mysteries). I knew the story upfront but the movie still managed to captivate, disturb, and even surprise me.

Compliance is an impressive thriller which affected me quite a bit more than I had expected. The movie takes a considerably simple story and not just tells you the story but makes you feel it. Certainly a great movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-01-02)

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 12:09:35 +0000

Interesting, But Not Amazing - Review of Cloud Atlas
When the Wachowski siblings make a movie I take notice; they have, after all, made two of my all-time favorites movies: V for Vendetta (2005) and The Matrix (1999).

This time around the movie was Cloud Atlas (2012). I had my hopes up but not very high since the trailer reminded me of Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain (2006) which I back then I had expected far, far too much from and I ended up getting very disappointed. So with my semi-high expectations I began watching Cloud Atlas - and as it turned out, I was right not to hope for too much.

Cloud Atlas is a great movie - but it get nowhere near The Matrix and V for Vendetta. The reason for this is that the Cloud Atlas never really managed to truly amaze or even captivate me. It was extremely interesting and I would have loved to have it continue for a little while longer. This feeling of wanting more is perhaps unfortunately connected with the fact that I felt the movie took on too many stories and thereby never managed to properly captivate me with any of them.

The stories weren't really rushed - but they were at the same time not given the amount of time they deserved or could have benefited from. Taking on this many stories at once and making them all seem captivating is a very difficult task; a task which the Wachowski siblings this time around didn't manage to execute to a degree more than just acceptable.

I could go on for a good while about how Cloud Atlas contains more story line than it has time for, but I'd also like to mention that the individual stories (and the connections between them) certainly weren't bad. For instance, the 5th story line about Sonmi-451 was so great that I believe that if it had been its own movie it would have been better than Cloud Atlas as a whole. I know this is blasphemy to say but it is how I feel and how I've felt about more than just a few of these kinds of "everything is connected" movies. When the "everything is connected" aspect is what I'm least interested it, I feel the inclusion of it does more harm than good. This was the case for The Fountain and now again for Cloud Atlas.

This review can perhaps sound like I didn't like Cloud Atlas which certainly isn't the case. I very much liked Cloud Atlas and it is a good, solid movie, just not amazing. I was nowhere near bored during the almost 3 hours the movie lasted and I continuously throughout the movie wanted to know more about everything going on. Unfortunately, when the movie ended I didn't feel my hunger for story had been sated, which very much is a shame since Cloud Atlas really did have some great stories to tell. It just didn't take the necessary time to do so in full.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-03-24)

Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 12:00:37 +0000

Interesting and Intriguing - Review of Beyond the Black Rainbow
I was made aware of Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) by +Jannik Hansen when he shared the trailer for the movie (youtu.be/Q1ertVYn750). I found myself intrigued by the trailer so I decided to watch the movie - a decision I did not regret.

Already from very beginning of Beyond the Black Rainbow (fantastic name by the way) it was clear what kind of movie it was. It had its fair share of weird and psychedelic elements, which I'm not usually very much into, but for some reason it worked for me this time around. The reason for this is probably a combination of the amazing score and the simplistic storytelling, which ensured that I got caught by the movie very early on.

I was very intrigued by and interested in the movie from the beginning, and both the characters and the universe brought with them a special kind of wonder which sparked my curiosity. These feelings were unfortunately very abruptly lost when the movie went on what seemed like a bad acid trip flashback. The style of the movie suddenly changed and everything went from the clean, simplistic, and intriguing atmosphere to more of a surrealistic, abstract, and expressionistic atmosphere. I didn't care for this at all - and I did very much feel this part of the movie could have been, and should have been, cut.

Luckily this was only a short sequence, but it nevertheless made the movie lose its grip on me. Fortunately, the movie went back on its good track very quickly and caught me all over again after a little while. From this point on I felt the movie just got better and better, and nearing the end I was completely captivated with wonder; but I also felt a little disappointed since I believed the movie could have been amazing by cutting a few scenes out and doing some smaller aspects a little differently.

I could on for a while about the many good and couple of not so good aspects of Beyond the Black Rainbow (just look at what I scribbled down while watching the movie: goo.gl/wSrz6), but I'll stop for now. It is certainly an interesting and intriguing movie which I can recommend to people who like the atmosphere and style from the trailer. Beyond the Black Rainbow is a good movie with some great parts and some terrible parts. It could have been a lot better, but it still manages to significantly better than just acceptable.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-03-16)

Carriers (2009)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:59:25 +0000

I’ve watched many “zombie" movies with all sorts of different views on the whole "zombie apocalypse” theme. But when zombie movies get closer to being realistic, they often gets further away from the original zombie themes.

One of these realistic “not quite zombie”-movies is Carriers (2009) which I watched for a little more than a year ago, and just re-watched tonight.

First of all: It’s not really a zombie-movie.It’s a “virus pandemic apocalypse”-movie - and I like it. It’s focuses on some of the more relevant points of avoiding the infection and which roles friendships and precautions play in surviving. So even though I love zombie-movies, Carriers is still one of my favorite “pandemic apocalypse without actual zombies”-movie.

(Originally shared on Tumblr, 2011-01-05)

Chronicle (2012)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:56:01 +0000

Completely Captivating - Review of Chronicle
Ever since +DeAno Jackson spoke very highly of the sci-fi thriller Chronicle (2012) I've very much been looked forward to seeing it, which I had the pleasure of doing today. I had high expectations and still, I was completely blown away.

Chronicle is not a movie about superpowers like so many others. It is a movie done extremely well with its own special feel to it. I had expected to be annoyed by the handheld "found footage" filming style, but that wasn't the case at all. To my surprise the filming style actually worked for the movie in a way I've never seen before, to a large degree because it made sense which far most other movies with "found footage" don't.

The strongest part of Chronicle is definitely the great characters and their interactions with each other as they evolve and react to their new-found powers. Following their story was very interesting and completely captivating, not only because of their powers but also because of their mental journey.

Chronicle is an amazing movie for many different reasons. It is interesting, intriguing, captivating, moving, and much more. While it isn't perfect, it is damn close. In case I'm not making myself clear enough, I'll sum it up:
You need to watch Chronicle!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-04-26)

Cherry (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:54:47 +0000

Genuine Characters can Make a Movie - Review of Cherry
It isn't always the story which makes the movie; in fact, sometimes it is the characters who do, with the story just being there to facilitate the characters on their personal journey.

Cherry (2010) is such a movie. It is a good solid comedy, with some very genuine characters who makes for a great movie. It has its funny moments, its moving moments, and its fair share of sweet moments.

The thing about Cherry which surprised me the most, was Britt Robertson who played the daughter. I only knew Britt Robertson from the series The Secret Circle, where she portraits the main character very uncomplicated and generic. Because of this, I was very surprised to see her carry her role in Cherry extremely well. The same goes for the other characters who the focus on the movie was on.

Cherry is about character evolution and it executes this very well. Every character (without exception, I think) learns something and evolves through their learning experiences. The whole thing is rounded off in a very suiting way, with the perfect amount of sweet, which I quite thoroughly enjoyed, just like the rest of the movie. A movie which made me smile.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-10-24)

Catfish (2010)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:53:49 +0000

Gripping and Thought-Provoking - Review of Catfish
I don't often watch documentaries and when I do, it is usually to gain knowledge and not to experience a story unfolding. However, once in a while a documentary comes along which catches my interest and ends up completely captivating me. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) was such a documentary which for quite some time had been my favorite documentary, but now I have a new #1: Catfish (2010).

Catfish caught my interest from the very beginning and then took me on an amazing journey which was more intriguing, moving, and interesting than most movies. This is definitively the best documentary I've ever watched.

I had no idea what Catfish was about when I began watching it, which I felt was the perfect way of experiencing the movie. It is in part about social networks and that is pretty much all you need to know. Try to avoid descriptions of the movie, trailers, etc. and just watch it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-03-24)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:52:40 +0000

Greatness Continues - Review of The Winter Soldier
I very much liked Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and the sequel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), seemed extremely promising so at my first chance to see it I did so. This might have been a mistake since the cinema I watched it in had surprisingly poor image quality. It might just be me who is too used to BluRay and HD streaming, but this experience certainly will make me think twice before next time going to the movies instead of waiting for the movie to be available in HD.

Anyway, back to the movie. It had the expected Marvel parts but a whole lot more. What surprised me the most was not the plot aspects I did not see coming but rather the array of multi-dimensional characters - both men and women. This is something which Marvel previously has shown to be able to do but which I think The Winter Soldier is the finest example we have seen so far of having pretty much every single character, male and female, seem human and relatable.

The Winter Soldier is a prime example of a great action adventure movie. Interesting plot, thrilling action, amazing characters, and an universe where all these parts feel perfectly at home. Another great one in a series of great Marvel movies.

Oh, and lastly: booyah, Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch!

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-04-09)

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:51:47 +0000

Not Just Yet Another Superhero Movie
I love most Marvel movies but they all are somewhat similar in style. This is not a bad thing, but once in a while it is nice to see a superhero movie which is not like the rest.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) is such a movie. It is not like the other superhero movies in that the superhero isn't a lone fighter like the rest, but fights side by side with regular soldiers. This makes for an interesting and entertaining movie. Definitely worth a watch, even if one is not usually into superhero movies.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-10-15)

Captain Fantastic (2016)

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 11:50:16 +0000

Breathtakingly Amazing - Review of Captain Fantastic
I have this list where I write down movies I want to watch - and where, from the second I add a movies to this list, I do everything I can to avoid knowing anything (ANYTHING!) about the movie. Most of the movies on this list, I know little to nothing about, but was added simply because I had a good feeling about something about the movie (title, poster, writer, director, actor, etc.) - and when I finally get to see the movie I get to experience it in full - just as I think every good movie should be experienced.

Today I got to watch two of the movies from my list. One was really good (Don't Breathe (2016)) and the other was quite damn amazing - that one was Captain Fantastic (2016).

Captain Fantastic is a special kind of movie, unlike far most others. It has a little of what made Into the Wild (2007) special, but somehow bigger and more intimate at the same time. On paper, this is a very weird movie that, if made incorrectly, could have been a poor parody of itself. However, it was, down to the smallest detail, made to perfection - and it was felt. Every character is their own person - and are all portrayed without judgement or typical preconceived notions. This is difficult to explain - but the movie somehow managed to not itself judge in any way if someone is right or wrong - they all just are; and you, as the viewer, can judge for yourself - or don't. And it works.

Captain Fantastic is, well, fantastic. It is raw, emotional, philosophical (to a surprisingly high degree), thought-provoking, and much, much more. The concept is brave. The story is captivating. The characters feel real. The acting is superb. The emotions are breathtaking. And the movie is overall something truly special - that I am thankful I got to experience (thank you, past me, for adding it to the list).

(Originally shared on G0ogle+, 2016-10-15)

Camp Takota (2014)

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:51:25 +0000

Surprisingly Great - Review of Camp Takota
In addition to today being the premiere of season 2 of House of Cards it was also the premiere of the movie Camp Takota (2014). I felt split between which of the two to watch first but I ended up going with Camp Takota and I'm glad I did.

Camp Takota is a movie made by YouTube's Holy Trinity, +Grace Helbig, +Hannah Hart, and +Mamrie Hart. I have to admit that these three were the sole reason I wanted to the see Camp Takota and I honestly didn't expect the movie to be more than just acceptable. I was wrong.

Camp Takota is a good, solid movie; and more than that, it is a movie that doesn't feel like most other movies. The specialness of the movie lies in the details and the way an otherwise ordinary tale is told. Camp Takota radiates both endearing familiarity as well as a delightful special Camp Takota charm which comes together and takes the movie from good to great.

I, for one, am completely surprised by Camp Takota. My low hopes got put to shame by what turned out to be a great movie. Definitely a movie I can recommend, especially if you like the humor of either of +Grace Helbig (https://youtube.com/itsgrace), +Hannah Hart (https://youtube.com/MyHarto), or +Mamrie Hart (https://youtube.com/YouDeserveADrink) on YouTube.

You can check out Camp Takota for yourself at http://camptakota.com.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-02-14)

Blue Valentine (2010)

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:49:40 +0000

No Happily Ever After - Blue Valentine review
Already from the very first scenes it was clear that tonight's movie wasn't going to include a happily ever after. The movie was Blue Valentine (2010) and I had looked forward to it since Michelle Williams got an Oscar nomination for best performance by an actress in a leading role for it.

Blue Valentine is not an all the way through depressing movie as some could accuse it of, but rather a very realistic love story. It does not tell the fairy tale love story, but instead how the tale unfortunately often turns out. It is a love story with its ups and downs; with the majority of the ups being in the beginning of the relationship.

I found myself skeptical at first, but Blue Valentine grew on me and turned out to be a good movie. A movie, however, I can only recommend if you can handle something that isn't all smiles and laughter.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-10-18)

Beyond the Lights (2014)

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:45:32 +0000

Astonishing Performances - Review of Beyond the Lights
This evening I had the pleasure of getting to watch another movie from my to-watch list that I knew nothing about. I added the name Beyond the Lights (2014) to the list long enough ago that I had completely forgotten what it was about.

Beyond the Lights is a drama about the singer Noni, right as she is becoming a superstar, and a police officer who helps Noni on one fateful night.

After watching the movie, I now know why I added it in the first place - the actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who I came to greatly respect for her performance in Belle (2013). This time around, Gugu showed that she truly is an amazing actor - with the addition of the other great performances from Nate Parker and Minnie Driver.

The story of Beyond the Lights is relevant, interesting, heartfelt, and moving. The performances of the actors that tell the story are, simply put, perfect. Together, the movie is borderline amazing - though not quite there. Certain parts of the movie literally moved me to tears and were utterly and completely perfect. Unfortunately too many middle-parts of the movie felt unpolished and out of touch with the beginning and end of the movie. This movie could potentially have been one of my favorite movies - but it tried to build up something truly amazing in an inferior way. Don't get me wrong, the middle parts of the movie were far better than the best parts of most movies; they simply weren't as great as they could have been.

Beyond the Lights is a movie with huge potential that it only partially fulfills. Gugu Mbatha-Raw's performance is easily Oscar-worthy, despite the lack of nomination. Either way, Beyond the Lights is definitely a great movie that both moved me and made me think. A movie I can highly recommend, even despite its unfilled potential.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-02-06)

Best Man Down (2012)

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:44:28 +0000

Heartfelt and Moving - Review of Best Man Down
The movie Best Man Down (2012) has been on my to-watch list since I first heard about it almost 2 years ago, back when it was called Lumpy. I can't remember exactly why I wanted to watch the movie so badly that I wrote it down - but I felt that this movie had something special about it. I was right.

Even though I was not quite sure what to expect from Best Man Down, I did expect that it would move me to tears - and it absolutely did. The movie has two main storylines with one of them (the Ramsey one) being truly amazing, reminding me a bit of the Oscar-nominated Winter's Bone (2010) but only better. This part was ruled by a phenomenal performance by Addison Timlin and is what made the movie so great.

Best Man Down tells a heartfelt and interesting story in an excellent way. It might seem ordinary at first but it grows and just keeps getting better and better. This is a movie I can highly recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-12-01)

Butter (2011)

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:43:40 +0000

Surprisingly Great - Review of Butter
No, this isn't a review of the dairy product butter, but the movie Butter (2011) - which very much is about butter. The movie is however also about sex, greed, money, family, and much more.

I wasn't expecting much from Butter. I thought it would be your average mediocre comedy with a few good laughs but no real soul/heart. I was wrong. Butter is not only a good comedy, it is a great comedy. The movie has a simple, though good story and actually managed to move me several times, which I certainly didn’t expect from a comedy about butter sculpting. The deeper and more meaningful moments were integrated in a very good way with the humor so that the comedy aspects didn’t feel cheap or out of place, with the same being the case for the more emotional scenes.

Butter is a hilarious, surprising, and awesome movie which very much took me by surprise.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-09-27)

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013)

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:42:02 +0000

Powerful - Review of Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
I by chance stumbled upon the Lifetime TV movie Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013) and it sounded interesting, so gave it a shot. I am glad I did.

Call Me Crazy consists of five short films, each about mental illness. The five shorts explore the impact and stigma of mental illness in each their own way, and they do so in a powershell and moving way.

Going in not expecting much, I was greatly surprised when I quickly got captivated by the movie. This movie is meant to be tugging at the heartstrings and it certainly did. I teared up multiple times because of the immensely powerful way the stories were told, in part due to the amazing acting.

Call Me Crazy tackles a difficult subject but it does it in a honest and sincere way, which makes for a great and powerful movie. Definitely worth watching, if you are able to find it.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-05-24)

Begin Again (2013)

Mon, 31 Dec 2018 10:17:14 +0000

Truly Great - Review of Begin Again
Today +Kyla Myers and I went to the Alamo Drafthouse theater to watch Begin Again (2013), which seemed promising from the trailer.

I had high hopes and the movie still managed to exceed all my expectations. Simply put, the movie was amazing. It was especially the characters and music that lifted the movie to a level of greatness I haven't experienced in months.

Such an entertaining, intriguing, enjoyable, and interesting movie needs to be recognized. I highly encourage you to watch Begin Again.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-07-15)

[REC]³ Génesis (2012)

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 18:18:10 +0000

Alternating Great and Acceptable - Review of [REC]³ Génesis
The Spanish [REC] (2007) is my favorite horror movie of all time and I consider it to be a masterpiece within the genre. The sequel, [REC]² (2009), is on the other hand an atrocity and a movie I highly recommend people should avoid if they in any way liked the first one. You can find my reviews of the first two movies and my expectations to the third (and fourth) here: #rec2007rec2009

Today I watched the third installment in the [REC] quadrilogy, [REC]³ Génesis (2012), (with the 4th movie, [REC]⁴ Apocalipsis, being scheduled to come out in 2013) and despite my hatred for the 2nd movie I had my hopes up.

The movie started out as I had expected and little to my surprise it was very quick and good at creating suspense in the special kind of way which I so very much loved from the 1st movie. The style and tone of the movie however changed a little bit into the movie, as well as it should in order not to resemble the 1st movie too much, and everything seemed like this would be a good, perhaps even great, movie.

[REC]³ Génesis has its ups and downs. It contains so many great aspects which should have made it into an amazing movie, but it just never gets there. There are more than a handful absolutely astonishingly beautifully constructed and filmed scenes where every single aspect just blew me away. But then movie turns around and presents a scene which most of all resembles some sort of comic relief which in no way should have been part of the movie if you ask me. In a few short scenes there were also incorporated some fantasy-like elements (the kind I so very much hated in the 2nd movie) in a very visual way which were not necessary for the story. There are more examples of smaller mistakes which for me took a potentially great, if not amazing, horror movie and made it into "just" a good movie.

[REC]³ Génesis has beautiful scenography, great acting, interesting and intriguing characters, decent character development, a good main story line, great effects (though a little over the top in one or two scenes), and overall great potential which unfortunately is damaged by several less-than-ideal aspects and scenes. [REC]³ Génesis is a good movie which could have been so much more.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-07-20)

Barely Lethal (2015)

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 18:17:58 +0000

Stupidly Entertaining - Review of Barely Lethal
Right off the bat I have to admit that Barely Lethal (2015) is several kinds of stupid; some would even call it downright ridiculous. But you what? It didn't bother me - at all. The movie does so much right that its ridiculous premise and way of telling its story didn't hurt the movie, but actually helped make it fun and lighthearted. Heck, even the name of the movie is a pun - and far from the only pun in the movie. Still, it all worked - just as such ridiculousness worked in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), D.E.B.S. (2004), Bring It On (2000), and Pitch Perfect (2012) - despite all these movies being vastly different (and all movies that I very much enjoy).

Barely Lethal is a movie about teenage assassins and a struggle to survive in the scariest of places - American high school. If that didn't sound cheesy enough, then know that the tagline for Barely Lethal is: "Click. Clique. Bang." And, no, this is not a slapstick comedy in any way. The genre is a bit difficult to explain, though I think I can describe this movie is as the Mean Girls of the teenage assassin world. Yes, I think I'll go with that.

On paper, Barely Lethal is a terrible movie. However - I really, really liked it. I found it greatly entertaining, with interesting characters, great acting, stupidly fun story, and surprisingly decent writing. I expected this movie to be a so-bad-it's-good movie, but it turned out to a genuinely good movie - at least for me.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-06-29)

12 Angry Men (1957)

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 18:17:53 +0000

Movies from IMDb's Top 250 - 12 Angry Men
Tonight brought with it yet another great movie which I had never watched before. One that really made me appreciate that I've taken the time to watch several movies from IMDb's Top 250 for the first time. The movie was 12 Angry Men (1957) which with its simplistic style and plot completely caught me.

I had expected to like the movie, but nowhere near as much as I ended up doing. The story, as simple as it was, worked perfectly. The arguments fit the characters and the discussion among them was extremely interesting and actually created suspense in a very peculiar way.

This is not one of my all time favorite movies, but close. I definitely understand why it is #6 on IMDb's Top 250. Watch it if you haven't yet.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-12)

...Foreword

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 18:17:45 +0000

Hi.

My name is Halfdan Reschat. I love watching movies - and sometimes I want to share my feelings about them - which I then do somewhere like Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or even here on [REDACTED].WORK.
You can find a list of all my reviews at https://redacted.work/reschat#reviews.

Also, check out my drunk ramblings (which can't really be considered reviews) at https://redacted.work/ramblings - if you want something (quite) a bit less serious and less comprehensible.

If you have any suggestions for movies I should watch, then drop me an email at halfdan@reschat.com.

- @Reschat (https://redacted.work/reschat)

[RSS feed: https://redacted.work/redacted.php?rss&page=reviews]

Beautiful Creatures (2013)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:15:26 +0000

Weak - Review of Beautiful Creatures
In my head I had somehow gotten the two fantasy movies The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) and Beautiful Creatures (2013) mixed up. I knew that they were two different movies and I also got the generelt gist of their plots but I got confused as to which of the movies several cooler details and better actors were in. As it turned out, Beautiful Creatures wasn't the movie I, in my head, had made it out to be. It actually kind of sucked.

There are several aspects of Beautiful Creatures that were somewhat interesting but it unfortunately contained far more clichés and main plot points which quite frankly were too weak to keep the movie together.

The romance aspects of the movie were downright boring and were presented to be of far greater importance than they could bear. The concept of "eternal love," or whatever other love-bullshit the movie tried to get away with, is something one has to work hard in order to accomplish to an effective, or even passable, degree; Beautiful Creatures managed nothing in the vicinity of that.

The fantasy/magic aspects worked to some degree but fell into three very distinct categories: 1) Silly, parody-like, humorous magic. 2) Ominous and dark (though not dark enough) magic. 3) Boring magic to make the story move forward. All three merged together didn't really work. You can't make a dinner scene like the one from Beetle Juice (1988) in one instance and then skip to talking about all-serious stuff like nothing had happened. I found this hilarious but it at the same time ruined any of the movie's credibility concerning the darker fantasy aspects.

Beautiful Creatures is not a good movie. It could probably be cut down to an acceptable short film, but in its current form it simply is too weak. Skip it and go watch some of the many other, far better fantasy movies out there.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-05-04)

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:14:39 +0000

Magical - Review of Beasts of the Southern Wild
With an Oscar nomination for Best Motion Picture of the Year I couldn't let Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) pass me by. I wasn't exactly sure what kind of movie I was in for and after watching it I'm still not sure exactly how to describe it.

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a peculiar kind of movie. It caught my curiosity from the very beginning with its wondrous and interesting way of telling its story. I was never sure where the story was going but in a kind of poetic way it worked. Many aspects of the story had a certain sense of randomness to them - but they somehow came together and created a sort of magical atmosphere, figuratively speaking, which worked.

I think the way I best can describe Beasts of the Southern Wild is to say that it is full of wondrous peculiarity that works. It is not all the way through amazing but it both starts and ends on very strong notes which made me fall a little bit in love with it. A very pleasant surprise indeed.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-01-27)

Bad Teacher (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:13:31 +0000

I wanted to see an undemanding movie so I went with Bad Teacher (2011), which I had very low expectations to. I was in for a surprise.
The movie was actually very entertaining and hilarious all the way through. This largely due to Jason Segel whose character and comedic timing make the movie stand out as better than your average good comedy. Definitely worth watching.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-04)

Attack the Block (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:13:00 +0000

Attack the Block (2011) is not just another alien invasion movie. It has some of the same qualities as Shaun of the Dead (2004) but also brings a significant amount of originality with it. It is very entertaining, intriguing, and overall awesome. Even the aliens are impressive, and it takes a lot for monsters to impress me nowadays.
I can highly recommend this.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-09-02)

Ashby (2015)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:12:21 +0000

Something Truly Special - Review of Ashby
When I first saw the trailer for Ashby (2015) - a movie about a high-school student who befriends a retired CIA assassin - I thought it looked entertaining, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm damn glad I did, because the movie turned out to be so much more than just entertaining.

Ashby is a movie with two stories. One is about a high-school student, who is an interesting character with a fresh range of subtleties to his personality, and who is growing into being himself. The other is about a retired CIA assassin, who is looking back at his life and preparing for what will come next - both reflections influenced by his friendship with someone with a much more naive/young perspective on life.

This is very much a movie that grew on me as I got further into it. At first it was a simple, good, entertaining movie. However, as the two stories progressed, I began to realize that I was getting caught utterly and completely by the movie - or rather, by its characters. The character development of the high-school student was curious, entertaining, and relatable. The character exploration of the retired CIA assassin was extremely interesting, deep, thought-provoking, and moving. And even though I absolutely loved the more serious storyline, while only liking the more lighthearted and entertaining storyline, I still somehow feel that one wouldn't have worked without the other. In this way, the movie managed to have its stories perfectly complement one another in a way that drew me in, as the viewer, in an inviting way, before beginning tugging at my heartstrings.

Ashby is something truly special. I don't think I've ever seen a movie quite like this. It is almost like a mix between a coming-of-age movie and Gran Torino (2008); and, as weird as that may sound, it worked perfectly for Ashby.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-09-26)

As Cool as I Am (2013)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:10:54 +0000

Delightful - Review of As Cool as I Am
When I first came across the movie As Cool as I Am (2013) I skipped it because of it's IMDb rating of 5.5/10. However, this evening after watching a horrid horror movie, Hatchet III (2013), I decide to give it a shot anyway and I very glad I did.

As Cool as I Am is a calm coming of age story. When I say 'calm' it is not in the sense that nothing happens but rather that the movie is simplistic in the way it tells its story and doesn't overdramatizes anything unnecessarily. The story has many interesting parts with most of the focus being on the main character, Lucy Diamond, perfectly portrayed by Sarah Bolger. Lucy's story has several interesting aspects and is told differently from most movies of this genre; differently in a very good way.

As Cool as I Am is a delight to watch. It is not too sweet and not too depressing but just right. It both moved me and made me think. A perfectly delightful and interesting coming of age story.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2013-09-22)

Another Earth (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:09:53 +0000

The Road to Self Forgiveness - Review of Another Earth
Even though the quiet unspoken emotions sometimes have the most power, the words which break the silence can be equally powerful. This is very true for the movie Another Earth (2011), which within the very first seconds gave me goose bumps and made me expect an exceptional movie.

Another Earth is not a sci-fi movie, even though the title and plot outline might indicate this. The sci-fi element of the movie is definitely prominent, but it is used to drive the main character's journey of self reflection, and not for a sci-fi story line. This also got my thoughts flowing in a somewhat similar way as for the main character.

After the movie at first hit me extremely intensely, it very quickly turned quiet in a special way with the unspoken emotions and emotional score telling the story. I felt this quiet atmosphere of the movie fit very well, but at times it felt like there was something lacking. Because of this atmosphere, the words spoken were so much more powerful, and made me listen closely. Some of very great parts of the movie were a couple of amazing monologues which really moved me, and stood out making the scenes with them, extremely powerful.

The longer into Another Earth I got, the less I saw it as an amazing movie, and instead as a good solid movie. The amazing monologues brought out the hope in me, but which was quickly lost again. This was until very the end (don't worry, I'm never posting spoilers).

I often say, especially for serious movies, that if you don't give the movie a chance and watch it all the way through, giving it your undivided attention, you shouldn't be confident in judging it. This too is very true for Another Earth. As with the beginning, the end of the movie took me by surprise. This wasn't a storyline-wise surprise, but rather a surprise in how much it affected me. The end very unexpectedly completely blew me away, and made the whole movie excel almost to the exceptional level I had hoped for when I began watching it. It was like the whole movie had been building up the atmosphere to accommodate this conclusion, without making me know that it was building up for anything.

Another Earth is in no way for everyone. People, who can't handle a slow-paced movie with many quiet scenes, will probably not find it captivating. But if you like this sort of movie, you're in for a good experience which probably will get your thoughts flowing.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-10-31)

Albert Nobbs (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:09:19 +0000

Interesting and Deeply Personal - Review of Albert Nobbs
I'd let the movie Albert Nobbs (2011) pass me by for some time but this evening I decided to finally give it a go; and I'm certainly glad I did.

Albert Nobbs is not only a good solid movie; it's a great movie. Right from the beginning it captivated and interested me. It told a deeply personal story in a very interesting and gripping way. A large amount of the credit for this goes to Glenn Close's sublime portrayal of the main character, Albert Nobbs, which truly played a huge part in making the movie great.

I don't really have much more to say. The story was interesting and the execution was spot on, coming together to make Albert Nobbs a great movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-06-07)

A Dangerous Method (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:08:21 +0000

Intriguing, Though Disappointing - Review of A Dangerous Method
When I first heard about A Dangerous Method (2011) I wasn't sure it would be a movie for me. I however gave it a chance since it after all had Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud and Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung.

The clearly strongest part of A Dangerous Method was the several very intriguing conversations between Freud and Jung. This was unfortunately the only really appealing part of the movie for me. The rest of it felt very bland and uninteresting. So while the scenes with Freud and Jung completely captivated me, the movie as a whole didn't stand as strong.

I will, however, say that while the movie felt lacking overall, it still is worth watching, just to experience the conversations between Freud and Jung.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-29)

Abduction (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:07:24 +0000

Why the Fuck Did I Just Watch Abduction?
If don't want to hear me rant about my dislike for Abduction (2011) and Taylor Lautner, don't continue reading.

Let me begin by saying that Abduction isn't the worst action flick I've watched. This is, however, not because Abduction is a good movie, but rather because there are several extremely terrible and stupid action flicks out there.

Abduction tries very hard to be a younger Jason Bourne movie and fails miserably at doing so. While the action scenes aren't terrible, they still aren't anywhere near the high level of the Bourne movies. Abduction makes the mistake of thinking that the presence of elements from the Bourne movies will make everything great, which quite frankly do very little when the execution of these elements is sloppy and bland.

Most of the actors in Abduction weren't bad at all, but Taylor Lautner's acting was significantly below the level of the rest of the cast and almost unbearable to watch in many scenes. It seemed that the choice to cast Taylor Lautner was made mainly because of his muscle mass, and with no regard payed to whether or not he actually could act. To me it seems Taylor Lautner's acting skills haven't improved since he played Sharkboy in The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005).

Action flicks rarely manages to contain sincere emotional moments, and this was also the case for Abduction. The scenes which were meant as deep and emotional just came off unintentionally laughable. While such scenes can be funny to laugh at, it still makes the movie get closer to the "so bad it's good"-category.

Another unintentionally laughable aspect of Abduction is the weird way it is filmed. At several points there are for no apparent reasons used closeups and odd camera angles, which made it look like an amateur film. I have no idea what they were trying to do with this, but it most of all reminded me of the weird zoom-in used in soap operas.

In conclusion, I didn't like Abduction. It is a typical, undemanding, action flick, so just skip it, or get drunk and laugh at how stupid it is.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2011-12-19)

50/50 (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:06:43 +0000

Cancer in a Fun but Serious Light - Review of 50/50
Back when I in August first learned about 50/50 (2011), I was already hopeful just because of the cast, which I expressed in a tweet:
"A movie with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Seth Rogen, and Anna Kendrick in the leading roles. I almost can't wait for it." (goo.gl/raJVo)

These high hopes hadn't been diminished since back then, but rather increased due to me finding out more and more about the movie. Now, after watching the movie, I'll have to admit that I hoped for too much. Don't get me wrong, far most aspects of the movie were amazing, but there were just something about it which most of the movie felt a bit off. The script was absolutely amazing and the same goes for the acting. Every scene was captivating but I just felt that the scenes didn't fit well together. This can perhaps be because of the inexperience of the director, the editing, or something completely different. However, while this took a little away from the experience, 50/50 was still a great movie.

Cancer is a tough subject to tackle for any movie, and it becomes even more difficult when one wants to give it a light and fun spin. Luckily this was done very gracefully in 50/50, and both the fun scenes and the deeper, emotional scenes worked extremely well. As already mentioned, the script was truly amazing and it really carried the movie, along with the great cast. Every character was deep and interesting; even the comic relief character played by Seth Rogen, still had more to offer then first thought. I felt for the main characters and found their handling of the situation and their interactions interesting, moving, and entertaining.

50/50 manages something which I feel most movies about cancer haven't been able to manage so far. 50/50 is able to not just balance, but actually combine, the fun aspects of the story with the more serious and emotional aspects. This is done in a way which avoids ridiculing cancer while at the same time not being a sob story. So while 50/50 lacks a little bit in execution, it still manages to be a great and well worth watching movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-01-05)

4.3.2.1. (2010)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:04:47 +0000

Former Pity 7 - Review of 4.3.2.1.
Many years ago I watched 4.3.2.1. (2010) for the first time. Back then I had high expectations and, well, I was honestly let down. I thought the movie was acceptable, but anywhere near great. I gave it a 7. A barely 7. A pity 7.

Then yesterday I saw a GIF-set on Tumblr, of a great scene featuring the artist Eve - and I wondered where it was from. As it turned out, it was from 4.3.2.1. - which I had forgotten everything about - and I instantly decided I really needed to rewatch 4.3.2.1.. And so I did, tonight.

4.3.2.1. is a movie about a single event that somehow spread to involve four great friends. The story is told through the eyes of each of the four friends. Rewatching the movie I honstly questioned what the fuck was wrong me the first time around, when I back then only thought it was worth a 7 - and that I tought that was generous. This is a movie with a four amazing, and amazingly different, characters - with every single character being a complete, and complex, individual. The story is at the level of Snatch. (2000) - but more importantly, the portayal of the characters and the telling of the story is simply great. Sure the movie got flaws, but the characters and their depth fully make up for it.

This is an interesting movie. This is a different movie. This is a movie with many, many amazing scenes - and four amazing characters. It is a movie that I truly doubt my own sanity for not loving the first time around. Not bad - at all.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2015-05-24)

Detachment (2011)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 18:24:04 +0000

Insightful and Extremely Depressing - Review of Detachment
Right off the bat I have to say it: Detachment (2011) is possibly the most depressing movie I've ever watched. One of the aspects which made Detachment so damn depressing was that many of its themes unfortunately not are rare occurrences in the real world. It was like it gave an insight into a depressing side of the state of our world.

I have a hard time putting into words how I feel about this movie. Yes, it was depressing as hell but at the same time it was a very good movie. It was insightful, interesting, and, most of all, powerful. I was at no time bored despite the extremely serious themes and slow pace. So if you don't mind a movie being depressing I can highly recommend Detachment; it's one of the better movies of its genre.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-08-01)

[REC] (2007) & [REC]² (2009)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 18:19:27 +0000

My Thoughts About the [REC] Movies
Since the third trailer for the Spanish horror movie [REC]³ Génesis (2012) just came out I thought I'd sum up how I feel about the first two movies and my expectations to the third. The third trailer for [REC]³ Génesis is available with English subtitles in SD: https://youtu.be/aUqnk3i6ZY4 and in HD without subtitles: https://youtu.be/FOmfrexvlKU.

[REC] (2007)
My all time favorite horror movie to this day is still [REC]. It manages to create suspense is an immensely effective way, has interesting characters, does not make the usual horror mistakes, and does not use the usual stupid, cheap tricks of horror flicks. When I first watched it I was completely blown away and described it with two words:
FUCKING AMAZING!

[REC]² (2009)
I had hoped [REC]² would be to [REC] as Aliens (1986) was to Alien (1979), but no. Instead it was what I had feared: something which tries to explain the events of [REC] in a way which ruins the story for me.

The visuel style of [REC]² is in itself very acceptable and actually quite interesting, so when I began watching the movie I was intriged. The story however quite fast took a turn for the worse which completely ruined the movie for me. During the rest of the movie there were a few good moments but for the most part it was just stupid.

[REC]³ Génesis (2012)
The trailers for the third installment in the [REC] movie series very clearly seems to indicate that things this time is going bigger in the same way as Aliens went bigger compared to Alien. This is exactly what I had hoped for with the disappointing [REC]². It also seems that the third movie do not tie very much into the first two movies but instead is able to stand by itself. For these reasons I'm beginning to get my hopes up for the third movie, even though I very much hated the second movie.

I'd also like to mention that [REC]³ Génesis isn't the end of the line for the [REC] movie series. In 2013 the fourth (and presumably last) movie, [REC]⁴ Apocalipsis, will come out. It will, unlike the third movie, tie very much into the plot of the first two movies. This one I'm a little more skeptical about due to its resemblance to the second movie, but it is probably too soon to tell.

My overall advice about the [REC] movies is clear: watch the first movie and if you enjoyed it then under no circumstance watch the sequel. Concerning the third movie then either wait and see, or give it a shot since it certainly do look interesting.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-02-18)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 18:05:32 +0000

Great, But Not Amazing - Review of The Dark Knight Rises
I will keep this review short since I'm on mobile and on my third fourth beer.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) is a movie which I've looked forward to ever since I first heard about it. Such high expectations are difficult to fulfill and I have to admit that I had expected a little too much - but only very little. What the movie did, it did well for the most part and amazing for the rest. The characters were amazing, the story was very good, the action was acceptable, and the villain was utterly amazing. Unfortunately the movie tried to tell a far longer story than good for it. The 2 hours and 44 minutes were a long time but the story still felt a bit rushed. This, along with the unimpressive action, made the movie less than ideal.

Overall, The Dark Knight Rises is a great movie with one of the best villains of any superhero movie (and a complex one for that matter). It didn't manage to be everything I had hoped for but that didn't stop me from wholeheartedly enjoy it. A movie I highly can recommend.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2012-07-20)

I Kill Giants (2017)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 13:04:03 +0000

Breathtakingly Powerful - Review of I Kill Giants
So, I have this list - it's called "need-to-watch" and contains movies that I for one reason or another get a feeling that I need to watch, which I then add to the list and try to do everything I can to not hear a single word about from that point on (and I really do try - and almost always succeeds).

The other day I got a link to trailer for movie that had come out online; I clicked the link and less than 5 seconds into the trailer (before anything was really shown) I paused it. It was one of the movies from my list.
Since it was on my list, I obviously closed the trailer. I then waited until I felt in the right state of mind to watch this movie, that I litterally knew nothing at all about (no, really - I knew NOTHING).
And, so, this fine Friday evening, I watched it - I Kill Giants (2017).

Wow. Just wow. That was one hell of a powerful, capivating, and emotional movie. I don't even have words to describe how amazing of a movie this was to me; but I'll try since this is an attempt at a review after all. :-)

Right off the bat I was intrigued by I Kill Giants; not only due to what was happening on screen, but possibly even more due to how it was presented. This was something special - I knew that - and I could now see why past me thought that this would be a movie for me. (Thank you, past me.)

The movie continued to captivate, intrigue, and move me - more and more, scene by scene. The story and characters kept growing in intimate, sincere, and amazing ways. They weren't just part of a story, they were the story and they were the forces driving the story forward.
I can't mention the characters without highlighting how absolutely amazing Madison Wolfe was in playing the main character of Barbara. Every feeling Barbara expressed, I felt myself - and to a degree I don't think I've experienced so consistantly before when watching a movie.
When a single tear ran down Barbara's cheek, a single tear ran down mine. When Barbara ran through the forrest, my heart started beating faster. When Barbara fell, my breath was taken away. When Barbara stood up for herself, I felt strong. When Barbara felt broken, my heart felt like it was breaking. When Barbara's friend held her hand, I held my own. When Barbara mourned, I mourned. When Barbara was heartbroken but put on a brave face, I cried my eyes out.
What Barbara felt, I felt - and I can't even express how much I appreciate being able to have this experience. This was truly amazing.

There are so many aspects to I Kill Giants that I absolutely loved that I can't even come close to mention half of them. The story was intriguing, interesting, and heartfelt. The characters were complex, real, and powerful. The acting was moving, seemless, and admirably. The scenotography was stunning, alluring, and purposeful. The movie was just about perfect in every way.

I Kill Giants is a masterpiece of its subgenre - and, yes, there are several other movies in this exact subgenre that, if I mentioned them, could possibly spoil this movie.
While several other movies with similar styles, characters, and plots are sometimes pretty damn great, I can't empthanize enough how much I Kill Giants stands out among them. This movie truly does what so many other movies before it have attempted to do and only partially succeeded at. It follows through with perfection in every single aspect of the movie and thereby manages to create something truly magnificent.

No words left.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2018-05-18)

Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 13:04:00 +0000

A Significant Improvement - Review of Catching Fire
I wasn't a huge fan of The Hunger Games (2012) but I still liked it enough for me to look forward to the sequel. To my delight the sequel turned out to be significantly better than its predecessor. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) is actually a borderline great movie.

Catching Fire is not a movie fully able to stand on its own feet. I say this not in reference to its connection to the first movie but rather its connection to what follows, Mockingjay, in sort of the same way as The Fellowship of the Ring led into The Two Towers; absolutely not saying that these two series are even close to being on the same level. The Hunger Games movie series has now begun for me and I am hooked.

In many of the aspects where The Hunger Games failed, Catching Fire succeeded. It was not a straightforward movie with few surprises but rather had multiple layers concerning both the characters and the plot lines. It told several stories simultaneously while only letting the viewer get glimpses and fragments of some of these stories. This was without a doubt my favorite aspect of the movie and kept me glued to the screen for the next part of the bigger puzzle.

Catching Fire is not an amazing movie but still very far from being a bad movie. It does a lot of things better than the first Hunger Games movie while still managing to add new, good ingredients to the mix. The "love triangle" parts are still overplayed and boring but as long as they help finance the movie I won't complain too much. Catching Fire is a worthy sci-fi movie.

(Originally shared on Google+, 2014-01-20)

Life Itself (2018)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 13:03:57 +0000

Life Itself is Beautiful, Heartbreaking, and Hopeful
tl;dr (Twitter) version: Life Itself (2018) was an utterly beautiful, heartbreakingly sincere, and downright amazing movie. It had me fully captivated all the way through - and with tears in my eyes for most it too, for so many different reasons. - https://twitter.com/Reschat/status/1078365503821963264

Some of you might know that I have this list; it's a list of movies that I, for the most part, know almost or literally nothing about - but, for one reason or another, once decided that I needed to see - and from that point on have tried my very best to forget why (often with success) I wanted to see it in the first place, and also have done everything I could not to learn anything else about it (including putting my fingers in my ears and closing my eyes when trailers played before a movie at the cinema).
Well - Life Itself (2018) was one of the movies on my list - and tonight I got to watch it.

First off - I could write page up and page down about the way Life Itself told its story through the words of an unreliable narrator - and the way it commented on its own way of telling its story all the way through, with it even being pretty heavy-handed in the beginning. But that's of no value to anyone reading this that hasn't seen the movie - so I'll keep it vague and brief as always.

Life Itself is very interesting - to say the least. Though it didn't catch me emotionally from the start, it definitely caught my interest and made me want to understand further who these people were - both the story-tellers and the ones whose stories were being told (which later turned out to be overlapping - in an extremely smooth way).
Then, as I had started to get more introduced to the characters, the movie started to capture me emotionally as well - and this bound kept strong until the very end, even with changing characters and storylines.
The emotional side of Life Itself is one of the its core values - and it does this, in its portrayal of the spectrum of characters, better than most movies I've seen.
Every single characters is a person, and not just a character; and their wide ranging personalities and emotions are, at the same, both interesting and captivating. Truly something magnificent to experience.

The story of Life Itself has its fair share of twists and turns - but it somehow manages to never seem to erratic or unreasonable to me. Every twist makes sense - even if not always (if ever) in the way you wanted it to go.
This is exactly one of the strong sides of Life Itself - it keeps you on your toes, but never takes leaps that could be considered unrealistic. It is true, it is fair, it is honest - it is, well, life itself.

Not to end on a pun, I have to at last mention the amazing actors (and narrators) of Life Itself. Every single actor nails their parts and keep me fully immersed in everything going on. While the story, and the way it is told, is truly something special - the actors bring the characters to life and completely made me forget I were watching a movie.

In all - Life Itself is an utterly and completely amazing movie - giving me way, way more than I had ever dared to hope for (if I had even remembered why I added it to my list in the place).